Day 4 review:
Despite betting the runner up I thoroughly enjoyed the Gold Cup, it was run at a proper gallop and thus a test of stamina and courage as well as class. The vast majority of Gold Cups over the last 20 years have been run at a relatively sedate pace and they have sprinted home. Today was the test it should be (in my humble opinion).
Native River was a deserving winner after jumping and galloping them all into the ground under a great ride. Maybe the horse wasn't at his best last year but I felt then that Richard Johnson had given him a shocker of a ride (akin to Sam Spinner on Thursday) by going far too slow and getting out-sprinted. He would have top weight but he would be tailor made for Aintree next year and that is missing from Johnson's CV.
Might Bite jumped and travelled like a very classy animal but just didn't get home. He gave the impression that on traditional Cheltenham ground he would be too good for all of these but he will be 10 next year and that is very old these days for a Gold Cup horse.
Anibale Fly ran a stormer although he was probably ridden to pick up the pieces. Tony Martin is probably secretly furious and must already be plotting how to get his handicap mark down to 150
.
Road To Respect also ran a great race on ground that would have been too soft and is still improving. He could easily better this result on quicker ground.
Of the others: Djakadam ran ok but is slowly declining, Our Duke doesn't jump well enough, Killultagh Vic was too inexperienced, Definitly Red was too slow, but Total Recall was staying on nicely and gave the impression he would of finished somewhere around the third or fourth. He could be interesting in the National if this hasn't left a mark whilst Definitly Red will have an impossible task of top weight unless it's really soft.
Triumph Hurdle: A bit of a damp squid this one and I wouldn't trust the form. Apple's Shakira and Stormy Ireland were both much too free and Redicean didn't handle the ground. I would expect to see a lot of swapping of finishing positions if the same horses turn up at Aintree or Punchestown. Maybe I'm just being grumpy because 9 runners is a travesty
.
Albert Bartlett: Another race I wouldn't trust the form of. It became a real war of attrition and it may be significant that the 2 of the 3 oldest horses in the field finished first and second. I have no doubt that there are plenty of very useful future staying chasers in the field but it may have just been too much for them today.
As for the rest, two more female riders winning which can only be good for the sport and Pacha Du Polder must be an incredibly genuine horse as he galloped all the way to line with no assistance from the rider whatsoever. I thought at the time the jockey was very poor but it transpired that Harriet Tucker suffered an injury jumping the second last so credit where it's due.
Overall a decent if not outstanding festival. I enjoyed the fact that it was run on proper jumping ground for once rather than over-watered flat ground but there was an absence of superstars.
Altior is right up there with the very best I've seen and I probably shouldn't crab Buveur D'air too much as only really good ones defend their titles and Samcro has lots of potential.