Thanks. Go Ballistic was top class as you say. Remind me how many Grade1's did he win? How many times did Dorans Pride and Florida Pearl win Graded races at Cheltenham? What was their best trip at Cheltenham? And Looks Like Trouble was hardly prolific. But yes they are all true Gold Cup greats as you say. If you asked 100 people to name Gold Cup greats no one would name any of those. See More Business would get a mention.

Still cant believe they didn't retire Treve and Taghrooda before the Arc......... They should have listened to you!

Stay on topic please i.e. this year's Gold Cup. I can see where this discussion is going...

I think Coney. should go for the Gold Cup. Barring Silviniano and possibly Lord Windermere most of the others are up and comers like him. If he hadn't missed a year he'd being going for it this year anyway and we know he stays the big problem is whether he gets soft at the Festival. If he doesn't, I wouldn't want to run him at all.

Not sure how a top vet could predict how long he'd have left racing and I doubt, unless they told them he shouldn't race, that would affect the decision anyway.

No vet could predict how long he has left.

Not to be a d*** but highlighted above!!

Anyway. I agree you couldn't predict it. But I disagree and think he should go for it this year.

Saying a horse might have a recurrence of his problems is ambiguous. So in that case you cant predict how long any horse has left.

To say he will definitely have the same problems again or cant take much more racing would persuade you to run in the Gold Cup. But it would still not be a certainty that he couldn't run in the next three Gold Cups.

Do you not think advise and what is actually going to happen are different? My point was I dont think his injuries/problems will mean he has peaked now and he is also very lightly raced.

I agree. But you really can't say that about horses, especially with the problems he's had. He has a higher chance of them recurring because the damage is there, but nobody could predict whether or not they might sooner or later.

Using your argument I agree he may not have peaked and that he is lightly raced. But considering the problems if the ground comes up right I'd go for the bigger race rather than make him slog it out against the novices. Not that many horses come out of the RSA anyway.

I am awful at explaining things, glad you could interpret what I was trying to say!! And yes you're right about the ground and also agree re the RSA. Lord Windermere being an exception in winning a poor and strange Gold Cup. Though very good horses can win and progress from the race.

Yeah, Denman is another. But maybe it isn't the race, maybe it's the fact that only mediocre, slow horses generally go to that race anyway.

Buy nonetheless, I'm a bit of a Lord Windermere fan too. Last year's race was weird, but he's run really well at Cheltenham the last few years and I think he could run into a place, or win, if the younger horses don't live up to the hype. But I am biased, I started following racing in the Best Mate era so I always hope Jim Cullotey's horses will run well.

Yeah I think the RSA is a slow boat race, unless top class. So with that Coney shouldn't run as id put him above that bracket. I dont know why but id be inclined to run him at Aintree. Id also have concerns in races with big fields.

Would you really?

I'd also be concerned if there was a big field in the Gold Cup. But there would likely be a big field in the RSA too. I don't know why but I would just feel like this year could be the one to try it.

You get big fields in most races at cheltenham. Go for the RSA and put pressure on there jumping then go for gold cup next year after hes won the betfair chase and king george. plenty of time.

Maybe Im being a wimp but I think Aintree is an easier option and normally smaller fields. Id come back for the Gold Cup next year. The Gold Cup is an attritional race.

I think Many Clouds will run a good race this year. I cant fancy Bobs Worth, Holywell or Lord Windermere and as for Boston Bob, no thank you! Id put Coney above those but think Many Clouds and Road To Riches have the right profiles. Add in Djakadam and that is the new era of Gold Cup horses Im expecting. Along with Conti who is sure to trade short in running I think.

talking about the ground, its going to be quicker at aintree than cheltenham. Id be very suprised if went there. As for the gold cup, i think many clouds needs soft. Conti's record at cheltenham is poor. i just cant have lord windermere. they keep making excuses for boston bob. if bobs worth is within a length at the last i think he'll win. he swerved for some reason last year.

Should have probably waited till after today to do my anti post. Carlingford Lough a great winner and Foxrock ran an stormer.

Lost all respect for Jim Culotty thrown his toys out the pram how on earth can he blame Russell
He won a Bizarre Gold Cup Last year in the same fashion he ran this year but the difference is this years GC was far superior