Big-Race Perspective: The Cheltenham Gold Cup

Features / Timeform / 20 March 2010 / Leave a comment

Jubilant scenes at Cheltenham as Imperial Commander is led in after winning the Gold Cup

A Festival which produced a succession of unexpected results and at which plenty of the star names underperformed had one last trick up its sleeve in the eclipse of Kauto Star, the best chaser in more than forty years, whose bid for a third Gold Cup ended on the floor, but that failed to stop this being a race of rare quality, a tremendous duel between two top-notch horses resulting in one of the best-ever performances in this great race, the first two drawing a long way clear after three out. The early pace wasn't so strong as anticipated but it had picked up by halfway and ensured this was a proper test of stamina, a test worthy of the Blue Riband of steeplechasing.

"IMPERIAL COMMANDER's narrow defeat by Kauto Star at Haydock suggested he'd made further progress since his Ryanair win last season and, back at a track where he has such a fine record (six wins now), he showed the extent of it, producing a performance even better than Kauto Star's in winning this race last year."

IMPERIAL COMMANDER's narrow defeat by Kauto Star at Haydock suggested he'd made further progress since his Ryanair win last season and, back at a track where he has such a fine record (six wins now), he showed the extent of it, producing a performance even better than Kauto Star's in winning this race last year, beating an even stronger Denman than that horse had for all he didn't do it by quite so far, impressing with his jumping, always travelling well, clearly going better than the runner-up four out and getting on top once in the straight, ridden to extend his advantage after the last. He's a year younger than both his chief rivals and, as such, ought to be regarded as favourite for next year's renewal at this stage, and with the novices looking to have plenty to prove a second Gold Cup might well be his next March. The Bowl at Aintree was reportedly nominated as a possible target nearer to hand.

DENMAN finished second in the Gold Cup for the second successive year, producing a better performance than when he'd landed the race in 2008 this time around, going with plenty of zest up with the pace but not quite so comfortable as the
winner from four out and unable to match that one in the straight. He'll reportedly have the Grand National as his principal target next season, but surely couldn't be discounted if he makes a fourth appearance in this race, while a third Hennessy really would be something. Beforehand he failed to take the eye, looking nowhere near so well in himself as he did before the Hennessy, but his appearance on that occasion is the exception rather than the rule with him.

MON MOME will go to Aintree on the back of a career-best performance, one that puts him amongst the picks of the weights as he attempts to become the first dual Grand National winner since Red Rum. He sweated up at the start and got a long way behind on the second circuit, nearly twenty lengths off the fifth three out and still ten lengths down on third at the last, his stamina very much kicking in at that point though,flying up the hill to snatch third.

CARRUTHERS really is a splendidly genuine and enthusiastic chaser, racing with zest and jumping solidly in front, not up to going with the front two from three out (where he blundered) but responding to pressure to get back past the fifth after the last, only to be nailed for third on the line. He was one of the joint youngest in the field and may well have a bit more to offer, particularly back on more testing ground.

COOLDINE ran his race back at the scene of last season's RSA Chase success, and his effort opened the door for better still another time, not seeming himself beforehand but perked up when racing, getting into third after three out only to tie up late on. He would seem not to have had the ideal season in terms of preparation, and might well step up on this at Punchestown.

CALGARY BAY was the pick of the paddock and acquited himself well in face of a stiff task, failing to settle and making a few uncharacteristic mistakes but still travelling well five out and in contention for the minor placings until late, this trip seemingly a maximum for him. He might well have a bit more to offer still, with Aintree likely to suit him if he takes his chance in one of the graded races there.

MY WILL 's performance didn't have quite the promise that his fifth last season did, though it was more encouraging than his last run had been, going on late after getting behind on the final circuit. He'll presumably look to improve on last year's Grand National third next.

CERIUM hadn't been seen since finishing fifth in last season's Grand National and, looking in need of the run, was left well behind on the final circuit. His Aintree effort was all the more creditable as he suffered a fracture to his skull during the race but whether he gets the chance to do better next month is in the balance, well down the order to get a run this time.

TRICKY TRICKSTER looked as well as any beforehand but his performance suggested he hadn't got over his run at Newbury, facing a stiff task but lacklustre nevertheless, not helped by an early mistake. Whether three weeks is long enough to get him back thriving for the Grand National remains to be seen.

MR POINTMENT had left Paul Nicholls for £18,000 at the end of last season and looked nothing like the smart chaser he has been on his day, sweating up and edgy beforehand and soon toiling after uncharacteristic mistakes.

KAUTO STAR's position as the outstanding chaser around remains unquestioned, little having happened since to doubt the merit of his King George win, though a surprising return of jumping problems denied him the chance of a third Gold Cup, never travelling that well after a bad mistake at the eighth, hard at work in fifth when he took a heavy fall four out, unlikely to have troubled the first two but thankfully seemingly none the worse. He will be eleven by the time of the next Gold Cup, old for a winner of this race in the modern era, but will presumably have just two runs in the meantime, and a fifth King George might well see him return here as favourite next March.

Sent in loose-leaf parts throughout the season, Timeform Perspective builds up into an in-depth account of the racing year.