Opposing Native River in the Gold Cup!!!

Synchronised had run to mark of 167 on good ground when winning the Lexus.
Denman won the Hennessey off 174

Native River is a proven 155 horse on good/soft

Big differences there.

I think 3/1 Native River is fair given what he's achieved - he has not beaten anything of Gold Cup material apart from handicappers. However, the price of Cue Card ought to be shorter - he was only 5/2 against Don Cossack (DC) last year - but no DC or Thistlecrack this time. It will not surprise me if he is considerably shorter towards race day esp if the prospect of softish ground is increased.

Just had to check but Bobs Worth was given 17 for his Hennessy win.
Native River was all out to beat horse rated in the 140's only giving them a few pounds.

If it came up soft i would give Native River chance but he was outpaced in the 4 miler last year, and has struggled to get away from moderate animals on good, good/soft ground.

*Just had to check but Bobs Worth was given 171 for his Hennessy win.

Had to rub my eyes when I saw Cue Card... favourite...

Have to say  love this horse... even after he lost in the King George - I still backed him for the GC on faith alone... he is that type of horse - I'm one of his 'blind' followers... Last year he was my main hope and probably had his best chance when tipping up, and lets face it that was a weak renewal... went on to beat Don Cossack by 9L, horses that run behind him were a bit in or out or injured.

If you take this season - he lost to Irish Cavalier in the Charlie Hall Chase, he won the Betfair Chase beating Coneeygree who clearly needed the run, and was run into submission by Thistlecrack...

But lets get things right first - After King George connections were mulling the Rynaair - general feeling was the race was right for him and more suited to this task.  But, It was the owner who decided to keep him for the Gold Cup before him winning the Ascot Chase lto.  A race you would argue wouldn't tell you much clues except the horse was doing ok. Finally, lets not forget the horse is 11 years now... are his best chances behind him now? I always have a slight doubt with Cue Card in the Gold Cup coming up that hill... last time he came up that hill was in the Ryanair.

I'm not saying Cue Card wont win - Im pointing out why is this horse favourite? 

For me Native River has done a lot more!

the Gold Cup is like the Champions Hurdle this year, a poor renewal

Who went on to beat Don Cossack by 9L Iris?

Thistlecrack now @8s on here.
Done at 990

Hey Cyclops - Apologies Don Poli was behind 9L ... my bad!

Why is it a poor renewal platini

Just interested to know why? Is it cos theres no short priced fav this year? Is it cos none of the previous champions are in it? Or is it cos you were all in on Faugheen the 'machine' that isn't a machine cos he's flesh and blood?

Me no understand! How can a race be dubbed a poor renewal before the race is run?

The race is still the championship race is always has been and will be after all. Someone is going to win it and be the champion of 2017! It really grates on me. You can only beat what is put in front of you, just cos there is no horses rated in the 170+s (yet) its a poor renewal

Every one is entitled to their opinion but thought better of some that's posted this drivel

Incidentally i too think Native River has an outstanding chance, but also think a couple of them currently priced 20/1+ will outrun their odds and might even win. Minella Rocco, Champ West, Empire of Dirt even Zabana could maybe run on past beaten horses and finish in the 6.

"A poor renewal"

Completely agree. There is no past winner of the race, and over-rans have run below par; an up-and-coming/improving handicapper is the best of offer; it is certainly not a vintage renewal by a long chalk!

Thanks guys for helping take the gloss off of what is always an amazing week of horse racing

weak/poor renewal

just cos theres no previous winner and/or at stupidly short odds

i give up, these horses are flesh and blood ffs, they run to give us pleasure, anything can happen in a horse race

Agree with SEATHESTARS

This could be a cracking Gold Cup. You have a very popular multiple Grade winning 11 year old bidding to become the oldest Gold Cup winner since 1969.
He could bring the house down if he wins the race. Then you will be saying wow, that was great.Then in years to come you might be talking about Cue Card's GC with a smile on your face.
You could have 5 horses all in contention approaching the last with the bravest prevailing, the drama, the emotions a new champion is born etc etc.

Come on, open up your curtains guys, there is a ray of sunshine somewhere.

Yep,with you both on this.
Looking forward to a cracking week, and nice competitive CH and GC.

just cos theres no previous winner and/or at stupidly short odds

sts, they can always do a win double on Altior and Douvan.
Then amuse themselves with some ironing or something during the rest of the meeting.

... or a spot of knitting would perhaps be better

I've learned over these last couple days just to take posts like that on the chin and stop reading their views as posts from people like that generally are just pocket talking and nothing to do with actual opinions because their opinions are right and thats it.

Quite refreshing that i am not the only one who thinks like that though thanks guys

When you think of GC winners, do you think of Master Oats ?  Me neither.

Why not? He is a gold cup winner after all!

Ridiculous post

I think Djakadam has a serious chance of winning the GC.

thats how poor this years field is

if you think that the standard has dropped this year then djakadam has a great chance . i would imagine he gets a place . i think theres a few horses here that havent produced but may well do so on the day , they being . minnella rocco , more of that ,empire of dirt .the leading contendors sizing john and native river . it looks hot to me so i doubt a previous placed horse given every opportunity in the care of mullins and riden by walsh can improve . if im up ill take a chance on minnela rocco if im down ill go solid and flip a coin with native river and sizing john . gl

sizing john not without a squeak, decent price.

But i still don't understand how you can call a race like the Gold Cup poor? It is going to be 4/1 the field for starters, very likely will be a max field, whoever wins it will have earned it this year that is for sure and they will go down in history for winning it!!

I can't remember the last time this race promised to be so competitive! You can make a case for most of them

The biggest problem with the profile of the Gold Cup is that through injury or loss of form - no horse in the last 7 years since the Kauto days has dominated the division...

2016 Don Cossack - retired
2015 Coneygree - injured
2014 Lord Windermere - Loss of form
2013 Bobs Worth - Loss of form
2012 Synchronised - injured (fatality)
2011 Long Run - Loss of form
2010 Imperial Commander - Loss of form

Year in year out we here about a horse that will dominate the next few years - but doesn't.  Coneygree was a good example... as of many of the above and its quite unfortunate.

This year has been exceptional, that Don Cossack, Coneygree and Thistlecrack are not turning up.  To say this is a poor standard is not right - Native River - winning the Hennessey has the right stat angle to add merit to the field, Cue Card (should have won last year) and Djakadam are the right yardstick, shame the RSA winner is being aimed for the National - (but the right made by the connections). 

But my point is the division has been lacking a superstar for so many years and thus we cannot say its a poor renewal - its no different since the Kauto days, its been like this and will continue to do so unless a horse bar injury can dominate.

We want it to be competitive....don't we??
This is,so in my view it aint poor,in fact imo its exciting,and we could well have a few with chances at the last.

strange market at present cue card 7/2 native 9/2 ! and djakadam 9/2 also but sizing john is 11-1 weird . for me its between sizing john and native river

I called that one pretty well (for a change )

Can't complain with that got beat fair and square - still have faith in the horse can't wait for him at Aintree - will be interesting to see what news comes from stable - horses not running great....

The winning time was faster than the standard, the only one for today and probably for the entire Cheltenham Festival. Sizing John could be here to stay for a while as he is only 7yrs old.

Iris

He jumped quite poorly for him,  all things considering he ran a blinder.
Dickie looked to be struggling to meet a fence on a decent stride with him and that can be the horse not quite being right.

soft ground plodder.

a poor mans denman.

You are insulting the NH game by calling Native River a plodder.
He is one of the top 5 staying chasers we have in training, and our chasers are the best in the world.

So in all reality you are calling one of the top 5 staying chasers in the Universe a plodder.

Have a word.

Don Poli (I plod on) is a plodder but certainly not Native River otherwise he'd not have passed Djakadam after being headed by the same horse after the last.

I was a Native River knocker but i did start doubting my intentions on Friday and did actually back him.  Although he lost i saw plenty to admire and he didn't fence very well but he did have the pace to get the majority off the bridle which i didn't think he would. There is still plenty to come from him and if he had jumped better Dickie would have been able to really stretch them turning in.