Analytics

Tuesday 12 March 2013


As Cheltenham 2013 kicks off on a wintry start, now is a good time to look at some of the greats and favourites and see how we think they compare.

This years Gold Cup is a transition year as the new hopefuls look to establish themselves as the jumping elite. Bobs Worth has the form and potential to be the next great but this will his biggest test yet. Long Run is the only one of the old guard in the field. After early promise and winning a Gold Cup in 2011 against a class field his form has levelled and now looks as though his best days may be behind him.
Kauto Star

Kauto Star was undoubtedly one of the best. My first Cheltenham visit was a snowy 1989 as Desert Orchid took the Gold Cup. This was undoubtedly the grittiest Gold Cup performance but Dessie didn't quite have the stamina of Kauto Star. Denman was a crowd favourite as he never game up and if not for injury could well have won more than one Gold Cup himself. Best Mate won three Gold Cups which is a fantastic achievement. We are still not sure how good he was as the opposition didn't seem quite as good as many other years, but he could only beat what was in front of him.

So a fantasy Gold Cup of the last 25 years, who would be in the line up. The Fellow was always a threat from France, Imperial Call was very impressive when he won and who can forget Norton's Coin triumph at 100-1 on fast ground. For a fantasy Gold cup there also needs to be some favourites that never quite won the crowd. My particular Barton Bank, I will never forget the last fence fall in the King George.

My 16 Runners for the last 25 years of the Cheltenham Gold Cup would be

Kauto Star - P.Nicholls R.Walsh
Denman - P.Nicholls S.Thoams
Best Mate - Henrietta Knite J.Culloty
Desert Orchid - D.Elsworth S.Sherwood
Garrison Savannah - Jenny Pitman M.Pitman
The Fellow - F.Doumen A.Kondrat
Cavvies Clown - D.Elsworth G.Bradley
Jodami - P.Beaumont Mark Dwyer
Barton Bank - D.Nicholson D.Bridgwater
Imperial Call - F.Sutherland C. O'Dwyer
See More Business - P.Nicholls M.Fitzgerald
Kicking King - T.Taaffe B.Geraghty
Neptune Collognes - P.Nicholls R.Thornton
Imperial Commander - N.Twiston-Davies P.Brennan
Doran's Pride - M.Hourighan P.Carberry
Rough Quest - T.Casey A.McCoy

Betting. 4 Kauto Star 6 Denman, Best Mate 8 Desert Orchid 10 The Fellow, Imperial Call 12 Imperial Commander, Jodami 14 Garrison Savannah 20 See More Business, Cavvies Clown, Kicking King 25 Neptune Collognes, Rough Quest 33 Baron Bank, Doran's Pride

Desert Orchid