I have just returned from an enthralling day at Cheltenham, I drafted a few words on the train on the way home, as emotions ran high! I have not sat down and studied the video of the race yet, so I may be factually incorrect on a few things, but I thought it better to post my thoughts in their raw format....
PS - Although better over 6, Jaconet should have too much early pace in tomorrows 5f Listed Stakes at Lingfield [4.45]. She is far superior from a speed figure perspective, has a good draw in Box.3 and could be value around the 2/1 mark.
And so, my thoughts on the Gold Cup....
Throughout the bleak mid-winter, throughout the snow, the ice and the slips, trips and falls, National Hunt fans have had the thought of the Cheltenham Gold Cup ‘Decider’ [as it has been billed in the racing tabloids] to keep them warm.
The third round of the Heavyweight Bout between Kauto Star and his stable mate Denman was to take place over 26 undulating furlongs deep in the Cotswolds.
Of course there were other runners in the 3.20pm showpiece, but officially they were no match for the two Paul Nicholls inmates, they were there to make up the numbers, to give the owners a nice day out, weren’t they?
Happen somebody should have told Imperial Commander and Paddy Brennan.
I was as firmly in the Kauto Star camp as it was possible to stand.
I had donned a Kauto themed scarf, Kauto themed badge and bright purple pullover, and I wasn’t the only one.
The majority of shades in bloom on course were those of Clive Smith, the quiet, unassuming owner of Kauto Star.
Since Boxing Day and his fourth King George romp, I could not see him beaten.
I, like many others, had expected Denman to win the Aon chase without breaking sweat. His worrying performance there only increased my confidence in Kauto retaining his title.
However, doubts entered my mind prior to the first race.
Rain had been forecast to arrive in the West in the afternoon, but not until around 4pm, a good time after the final bell had rung in the Gold Cup, it appeared even 500/1 shot Cerium would have jumped the last before the heavens opened.
The forecast rain arrived and I was soaked to the skin before 1.15, slightly ahead of schedule. I was worried that it was levelling the Gold Cup playing field.
I talked myself around; Kauto Star had long since proved his stamina and guts when the mud was flying hadn’t he? He would stay a strongly run race, getting his toe in, wouldn’t he? The horse who hadn’t the stamina for a 3m2 slogfest was Imperial Commander; he wouldn’t stay a Gold Cup trip in the Horsebox, would he?
Someone obviously agreed as the 5/6 available on Kauto in the morning had disappeared and 8/11 was the best price in the village.
Although Denman had shortened to around 4/1, the heavy hitters were ploughing into the champ and there was more 4/6 than 8/11 around as the proverbial bell rang to set the horses on their way.
Lord Oaksy’s Carruthers was expected to make the running, but Denman and McCoy surely had to force the pace and attempt to grind out the win in the style of his Round 1 knockout in 2008, forcing Kauto out of his comfort zone and inducing a fencing error or three. Because everyone knows Denman stays longer than the Mother-in-Law, he’ll win a Grand National one day and if Harry Findlay had his way, it would have been last years!
That brutal pace did not ensue and McCoy was content to sit Denman just off the shoulder of Carruthers in 2nd place, with Kauto seemingly enjoying himself mid pack, stag-like at the fences - so far so good.
Disaster struck at fence eight.
As in all classic movies, there is always a ‘Will he? Won’t he?’ moment during the film. Ever the film star, Kauto had previously saved his customary ‘surprise’ till much later in the feature - usually the final fence - causing widespread popcorn spilling, heart-in-mouth panic for viewers.
However, this year’s twist occurred at a much earlier point, he ploughed through the fence and Ruby worked a miracle to stay in the saddle. Had the rain softened ground played a part in the error? Kautos jumping had seemingly improved recently and he hadn’t touched a twig at Kempton.
Whatever the reason for this latest misdemeanour, he had slipped back through the field, losing around 5 lengths in that split second, and the writing was on the wall.
And still the pace was steady.
Kauto regained his position and he appeared to be travelling well, although not as well as his old foe and stable neighbour who took up the running on the 2nd circuit and it looked as though the memories of February’s horror show in the Aon had been well and truly forgotten.
Sensing his title slipping away, Ruby had the persuader drawn on Kauto as the field started to string out down the back stretch. Like a true champion he responded, but it was never truly convincing and Ruby was hard at work when a sickening fall ended his chance at the fourth last.
I immediately feared the worst and a cry from behind me of ‘He’s f***ing Dead’ did not help my emotions at that moment. I had envisaged telling the tale of ‘I was there when Kauto Star won his 3rd Gold Cup’ and I could not bear to utter the words ‘I was there when Kauto Star met his demise’.
The following few seconds appeared eon like but finally the floored champion picked himself up and off the rain sodden canvas and was brought under restraint by his none the worse jockey.
Meanwhile at the top of the hill, McCoy had finally decided to up the ante and attempted to kick on, all the while Paddy Brennan sat motionless alongside him on Imperial Commander.
As McCoy attempted to bring on the pain, it became apparent that Brennan was deflecting the blows on the apparently stamina lacking challenger and he surged to the front with two to jump and careered away to record a 7 length win over a tired Denman, with a further 23 lengths back to Grand National hero Mon Mome in 3rd.
Understandably, Nigel Twiston-Davies was his usual understated self in the minutes following his first Cheltenham Gold Cup victory, poking fun at the ‘hacks’ who were of the opinion that he wouldn’t stay the trip, and sarcastically proclaiming that he would be aimed at next years Ryanair Chase.
With a little luck, next years race may well be round 4 of the Denman / Kauto battle, and there may even be more pretenders to the throne now that the seemingly untouchables have been usurped by a member of the supporting cast.
I hold my hands up, I got it wrong today, and I gracefully applauded the winner back into the paddock along with a few hundred others.
I wonder how many of those applauding were, like me, wondering what could have been, had the Met Office forecast been a little more accurate.
Hollywood_G
