In the latest of GG’s 2021 Cheltenham Festival Previews, Daryl Carter has taken a look at the Gold Cup, which features Al Boum Photo attempting to join the greats with a third successive victory
CHELTENHAM GOLD UP OVERVIEW
- No winner of the race ran that season on heavy ground
- No winner age 10 +
- No winner without a chase run that season
- Only two winners had more than 12 chase starts
- All winners had won a Grade 1 Chase
- Only two winners priced bigger than 10/1
- 12 of the last 14 were rated 166 or higher before winning the Gold Cup
GOLD CUP CONTENDERS
AL BOUM PHOTO
The Willie Mullins trained nine-year-old is now seeking to land a remarkable third consecutive Gold Cup and the master trainer has stuck to the winning formula that saw him successful in 2019 and 2020 by having just the one spin over fences before the festival at Tramore. He won this race last year by a neck from the rallying Santini and according to my sectionals, he won the race with a burst of speed between the third and second last flight. He has not been the most assured of jumpers in his time so it’s too his credit that he has managed to win this elusive prize on multiple occasions. The form of last years Gold Cup hasn’t worked out well, but it’s not often that they do given the gruelling test that horses endure this race and he deserves the utmost respect.
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A PLUS TARD
Henry De Bromhead trained and an explosive Cheltenham Festival winner back in 2019 when landing the Close Brothers Novice Handicap Chase off a handicap mark of 144 by 16 lengths. He has gone from strength to strength since then including landing the Grade 1 Dublin Chase over 2m before finishing third in the 2020 edition of the Ryanair Chase over 2m4f. He stayed on strongly in the Ryanair last term and closed to the line only to lose out by 1 ½ lengths but connections dropped him back to 2m in the Fortria Chase at Navan where he was beaten by Castlegrace Paddy next time in a baffling move. A first-time tongue-tie and a roll of the dice for just his second start over 3m in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Xmas saw him finish with a flurry to claim victory. That almost certainly gave connections hope of their charge staying this trip and he looks a rightful second favourite on that performance given the runner-up has boosted the form by winning the Irish Gold Cup next time. Big chance.
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ROYAL PAGAILLE
Technically still a Novice but he has all the experience necessary to compete in this year Gold Cup and he has been impressive this season twice at Haydock and at Kempton. He has scaled new heights for trainer Venetia Williams and he looks like an exciting prospect. He jumps and travels strongly through his races but he does need to prove he can do it on an undulating track and ground quicker than soft would also ask a second question. He remains high on the shortlist should he take up this engagement.
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CHAMP
An emphatic winner of last seasons RSA Novice Chase over Minella Indo and is now a winner of 9/13 career starts and is a horse with an abundance of talent who has scope for improvement in the jumping department. He hasn’t been seen since March which is a major cause for concern given his sole entry before the Gold Cup is just outside the 3 week damnation period for Gold Cup winners. Has the talent, but does his trainer?
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FRODON
The 2020 Grade 1 King George winner is an admirable horse who has done little wrong for his connections this season with his only defeat coming at Aintree in which the removal of fences didn’t play to his strengths. His attitude and will to win is second to none but he may struggle to dictate matters in this field with an abundance of pace likely to put him under early pressure.
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NATIVE RIVER
The 2018 Gold Cup winner and now 11yo will need to defy the age stats but showed he was as fruitful as ever with a 9 length demolishing of Bristol De Mai at Sandown in the Cotswold Chase. That race has proven to be a graveyard for Cheltenham Festival hopes over the years but he is well worth his place in this line up even at the grand old age of 11 he is still performing to a high level.
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MINELLA INDO
The 2019 Albert Bartlett winner finished runner-up to Champ in the RSA Novices Chase last term and looked a force to be reckoned with in the early part of this season landing back to back 3m chases at Wexford and Navan by a combined distance of 32 lengths. A fall at Leopardstown in the Savills Chase and then a lacklustre performance when fourth of five in the Irish Gold Cup has taken the gloss of him slightly and he is now on a recovery mission but it would be folly to write him off just yet.
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DELTA WORK
Has been somewhat underwhelming this season and will need to find a jolt of improvement after having everything in his favour in the Irish Gold Cup but failed to deliver. Disappointing.
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SANTINI
Needs to bounce back from two below-par efforts at Aintree and Sandown this season and he is starting to look a difficult ride so its no wonder Nico De Boinville jumped at the chance to ride Champ. He doesn’t look to have the attitude or the speed but a return to this venue could spark him back to life.
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CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP BIG RACE VERDICT
I could write to you all day about why I think CHAMP will win the Gold Cup but his trainer has made it difficult to be extremely confident. There have been ample opportunities to run the horse in the past four months but there always seems to be an excuse whether it be the ground, the track, trip, horses or it’s the pollen count who knows. It’s frustrating and his preparation looks dire given he will run on heavy ground and get into a real tussle with proven Grade 1 performer’s 3 weeks before a Gold Cup but I love the horse and it’s as simple as that. If by some miracle Champ does get beat then the horse I want on my side at this stage is A PLUS TARD who ticks plenty of boxes and has proven himself at the highest level in Ireland. He is unexposed at this trip and I like the way he came up the hill in the Ryanair last term and this New Course looked to suit him very well so I expect him to be bang there at the finish and his form could hardly be stronger.