Scu Says “Daklondike is favourite and a worthy one at that”

The Gold Cup picture looks a good bit different now, following Sizing John’s defeat at Leopardstown. It’s even more wide open. Might Bite is a worthy favourite after his win at Kempton, and his position has now been strengthened. From a personal point of view, I feel that Thistlecrack is now very much back in the mix.

The Gold Cup has been blown wide open. I’m sure Sizing John will come back and there will probably be a horse we haven’t even considered that will shorten into single figures for the race by the day. Sizing John was that horse last year, and was running over two miles at this stage twelve months ago. He then won the Irish Gold Cup and went off single figure odds to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. So there may well be a horse lurking at around 50/1 that we haven’t considered that will shorten come the day.

It just shows once again how hard it is to keep these top horses fit and firing on all cylinders year in year out. It really makes you appreciate even more the likes of Kauto Star, Best Mate, Denman, Cue Card, etc. To keep coming back every year they need to be really tough and the trainers have to use all their skills to do it

I’ve watched the King George back a few times and I was just so impressed with the ease with which Thistlecrack moved through the race. It is always a relentless gallop in the King George. They go fast for the first circuit and then go faster. You have to be able to run flat out for three miles. If a horse is slightly under the weather, or having a bad day, they are not just beaten, they drop away completely. In other races even these horses can run well to a point but in the King George they are gone.

I think there’s more to come from Thistlecrack. He’s getting back on track now and there’s still plenty to play for.

SATURDAY

12.40 Newbury – Irish Prince

Irish Prince has shown a level of ability in his bumpers. He’s run two similar races. I think he’ll end up being a staying chaser I’m sure but this race is a nice starting point for him. He’ll have to improve on what he’s shown in his bumpers to get in the shake up

2.25 Newbury – Daklondike

Daklondike can be a bit of an in-and-out performer. I’m hoping the poor run at Chepstow between Wetherby and Wincanton was just a blip, and down to him running back too soon. He’s still very young. It’s easy to forget that he’s only five years old. The strides that he’s made over fences this season have been fantastic and he’s turning into a decent staying chaser.

Hopefully he can take another step up the ladder by winning this race. He’s the favourite and a worthy one at that. Newbury is a fabulous track. In fact it’s probably the best track in the country to ride.

SUNDAY

1.35 Warwick – Le Rocher

It’s a case of fingers crossed that Warwick beats the weather because if it does then this horse should be winning this race. His two opponents are rated 89 and 50 and he’s rated 139.

It was a good first performance by him at Exeter and granted a clear round then he will be very hard to beat. I really like this horse. He’s a Grade 1 winner over hurdles and yet despite that we still probably haven’t seen the best of him. He thrives on the heavy conditions. I think he’s a good horse.

3.30 Uttoxeter – Queens Cave

She was impressive in her Point to Point and David and Kenny Alexander then bought her. A number of her opponents have run before, a few of them disappointingly based on their starting prices and where they finished. So we probably haven’t seen the best of them yet.

Our horse is quite likely to be favourite based on her Point to Point win, and she should handle the heavy conditions, and looks to have a great chance. Fingers crossed it should be a good weekend as long as all the meetings beat the weather.

Tom