Expert Analysis

Quite a strong Cheltenham Gold Cup, featuring the last 2 Irish Gold Cup winners (Galopin Des Champs and Conflated), a King George VI Chase winner (Bravemansgame), a Grand National winner (Noble Yeats), and the previous year’s winner of this race by 15 lengths (A Plus Tard), to name but a few. It was run at a sound-to-strong pace, the winner sensibly kept out of the heat of the battle until late on, and some of his rivals failing to see things out especially well (his final-3f finishing speed very close to par at 102.8% but everything else bar Noble Yeats below 100%). It deserves to be rated top-class form, backed up by one of the best relative times of the week, though some claims for the winner, such as that he is snapping at the heels of Kauto Star with this victory, seem a little excessive.

GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (c177 here, 173 previously) delivered the truly top-class performance he had threatened to deliver from time to time, faced by stronger opposition and a more demanding pace than previously, and emerging with flying colours under a well-judged and patient ride. He was held up in rear, was less than fluent at a couple early, and again when closing 3 out, but was poised to challenge going well soon after the latter, challenged going to the last, which he jumped well, soon a length or 2 to the good and running on strongly for pressure to draw away on the second half of the run-in. He was similarly impressive to A Plus Tard 12 months earlier, but is a year younger than that horse was then and seemingly made of sterner stuff also: it will take a good one to depose him.

BRAVEMANSGAME (c171 here, 173 previously) went out on his shield, running a race of similar merit to his King George VI Chase win and making life difficult for the winner for a while, not quite seeing out this longer trip as well as his rival but likely to do so in a race run at a less demanding pace. He tracked that pace travelling comfortably and jumping well, was shaken up after 3 out and led from approaching 2 out to the last, battling on until weakening in the final 100 yards.

CONFLATED (c165 here, 171 previously) ran respectably despite getting messed around a bit going to 2 out and probably finding the longer trip just beyond him in these circumstances (18.14s final 1f compared to the winner’s 16.29s). He tracked the pace and was just making his effort when stuck in traffic approaching 2 out, switched and going third but one paced soon after.

NOBLE YEATS (c163 here, 166 previously) was in one respect a bit flattered to finish fourth, picking off rivals who had been in the heat of the battle in a strongly run race, but it does suggest he is in a good place for a return to the marathon trip of the Grand National, which, of course, he won last year. He tracked the early gallop but was getting outpaced by halfway (slight mistake 10^th), well adrift when slightly hampered by A Plus Tard’s being pulled up before 3 out, then staying on well without posing a threat. He has proved himself unquestionably a high-class performer, though not a top-notch one, this season.

PROTEKTORAT (c163 here, 166 previously) ran respectably, a couple of places worse than last year (though a couple of lengths closer to the winner also), but did not see things out at the end of a race run at a demanding gallop, tracking the pace before disputing the lead going to 3 out until after it, soon no extra. His very best efforts (Many Clouds Chase win at Aintree and Betfair Chase win at Haydock) have come on ground even softer than this.

ROYALE PAGAILLE (c155 here, 158 previously) may not be quite as good as he was when finishing one place closer in this 12 months ago, but he ran creditably enough given he got hampered by Ahoy Senor’s fall 6 out, still towards the rear at the time and plugging on after.

ELDORADO ALLEN (c143 here, 156 previously) has regressed a bit on his last few starts and never really figured here.

A PLUS TARD (c0 here, 179? previously) is difficult to assess, clearly not himself in the Betfair Chase the time before and having an excuse here, but with no form now since running away with this race 12 months ago. He was held up travelling OK, but tended to jump a bit to his right mid-race then was hampered (lost 5 to 6 lengths) by Ahoy Senor’s fall 6 out, losing touch further and well adrift when pulled up before 3 out. It is to be hoped that we see him back at his best, perhaps at Punchestown, for he is right up there with Galopin Des Champs on his day.

AHOY SENOR (c0 here, 165 previously) set a good gallop and mostly jumped well (if a bit to his right once more) until getting 6 out wrong and paying the price, certainly in a good rhythm prior to that.

HEWICK (c160? here, 168 previously) would probably have finished sixth, running no more than respectably, but for taking a nasty fall 2 out (from which he emerged unscathed), but contributed plenty to the race up to that point, close up before taking over 6 out and only just beginning to feel the pinch when departing.

MINELLA INDO (c0 here, 155 previously) looked out of love with the game, not for the first time.

STATTLER (c0 here, 163 previously) ran no sort of race, soon labouring.

SOUNDS RUSSIAN (c? here, 161 previously) was still travelling comfortably enough tracking the pace when brought down 6 out, seemingly in good heart still.