The 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup looks wide
open with five horses vying for favouritism. To complicate matters
further, three of them are trained by Willie Mullins who is chasing
his first victory in chasing’s blue riband event.
Djakadam spearheads Mullins Gold Cup
challenge.
Mullins looks set to resist the
temptation to allocate different targets for his Gold Cup runners and
his challenge will be led by last year’s runner-up Djakadam.
The
seven-year-old moved well into the home straight last year but could
not pass the determined Coneygree, eventually failing by a length and
a half. With that rival absent through injury, Djakadam was promoted
to Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite after winning impressively at
Punchestown in December. His 12 lengths victory over Valseur
Lido looks even better in light of the runner-up’s unlucky last
fence exit in the Irish Gold Cup last month.
Djakadam was expected to confirm his
status as market leader in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in
January but crashed out at the tenth fence. Mullins does not feel
that the setback has damaged his preparation significantly and he
remains a leading contender.
Valseur Lido has been neglected in the
market in recent days and has drifted out to 20-1. Mullins believes
that the Gold Cup trip will suit him much better than the extended
two and a half miles of the Ryanair Chase. He is as short as 5-1 for
the latter and the final decision rests with the owners, Gigginstown
House Stud.
Cue Card and Vautour set to renew
rivalry.
The King George VI Chase on Boxing Day
provided a thrilling spectacle as Cue Card battled to a head victory
over Vautour. The two are set to clash again in the Gold Cup along
with the beaten favourite Don Cossack who crashed out at the second
last.
Cue Card has been a magnificent servant
to the Colin Tizzard stable and has already won a Champion Bumper and
a Ryanair Chase at
the festival. He dispelled doubts about his ability to stay three
miles when winning the Betfair Chase at Haydock in 2013. He won the
race for a second time in November before his epic battle with
Vautour.
Connections of the runner-up were
thrilled with their horse who was kicked for home early in the home
straight. That was his first attempt at three miles and there remain
question marks about his stamina for the extra quarter of a mile at
Cheltenham. He was a brilliant winner of the JLT Novices’ Chase at
last year’s festival over two and a half miles.
Don Cossack appeared to be staying on
when he fell at Kempton and he bounced back with a bloodless victory
at Thurles in January. Gordon Elliott’s nine-year-old thrashed Cue
Card at Aintree last year on good ground and connections will be
hoping that the ground does not become too soft.
Bryan Cooper expected to side with Don
Poli
Jockey Bryan Cooper has to choose
between the four Gigginstown entries; Don Poli, Don Cossack, Road To
Riches and Valseur Lido. It will be a surprise if he deserts Don Poli
who has won both of his races this season. Yet another representative
of the Mullins stable, he burst into the Gold Cup picture when
winning the RSA Chase impressively last year.
Road To Riches also holds an entry in
the Ryanair and he really wants good ground to be at his best. Noel
Meade felt that the testing conditions were responsible for his
defeat by Carlingford Lough in the Irish
Gold Cup. The winner was almost pulled up with four to jump at
Leopardstown but the leaders folded up in the home straight. His main
objective is thought to be the Grand National but he could take his
chance if the going is suitably testing.
Cue Card is not completely alone in
attempting to keep the Gold Cup on home soil. Alan King’s Smad
Place won the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November before
finishing fourth in the King George. The popular grey earned his
place in the field when profiting from the fall of Djakadam in
January.
Grand
National winner Many Clouds is also in the line-up after his
intended prep race at Kelso was abandoned. He finished sixth last
year and a similar performance on Friday would set him up perfectly
for another tilt at the Aintree showpiece.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is due off at
3.30 on Friday 18th March and will be screened live on Channel 4.
By Harvey Mayson
By Harvey Mayson