Last season belonged to Nicky Henderson’s young pretender, but this season has all been about the legend that is Kauto Star, as the now 12 year old superstar rolled back the years and defeated Long Run in both the Betfair Chase and the King George prompting scenes of jubilation from his legions of fans rarely seen at a race course.
Long Run supporters will be hoping the extra distance and that gruelling Cheltenham hill will be enough to see the younger legs of Long Run win out this time around though, but with Kauto seemingly in the form of his life you’d be a fool to rule him out of making history yet again.
As much as it may look like this year’s Gold Cup is nothing more than a match between the aforementioned former winners of the race, but that is in fact far from the case however. I actually fancy perhaps the most controversial name on the list of the horses entered to win the Gold Cup this year and that horse is David Pipe’s brilliant novice Grands Crus.
He found only the unstoppable Big Buck’s too good last season over hurdles and has transferred all of that ability and then some to fences this term, currently unbeaten in three starts over the larger obstacles. Grands Crus travels like a machine and his jumping is almost impeccable, he has form around Cheltenham both over hurdles and over fences, and if allowed to take his chance I can really see him serving it up to Kauto and Long Run on the turn for home.
I say if allowed to take his chance though because there is no guarantee he will even run in the race yet, because as a novice the traditional route would be the RSA Chase, which in theory looks at his mercy if connections were to opt to go down that route.
The Pipe family have a well-documented history with novices in the Gold Cup and that and a whole host of other potential issues could still see connections opt for the traditional campaign for Grands Crus this year instead. I for one though would love to see him go for the big one and genuinely think he can become the new King in 2012.
Other notable entrants include Nicky Henderson pair Burton Port and Finian’s Rainbow, the latter of which being somewhat of a surprise given that he was considered by most to be a lock for the Champion Chase; and in addition to Kauto Star champion trainer Paul Nicholls also has Tidal Bay, Poquelin, The Minack and last year’s fourth What A Friend entered.
Lexus winner Synchronised represents Jonjo O’Neill and after his somewhat surprising win in Ireland over the festive period has to be considered a contender, especially if the ground comes up on the soft side.
King George third Captain Chris is also in the initial line-up and could be another lively contender – he’s already been flagged up the influential Tom Segal for Pricewise in the Racing post – he stayed on resolutely having looked beat from a long way out in the King George, but he’d need to improve quite a bit to win the Gold Cup in my opinion.
Diamond Harry, Time For Rupert, Weird Al, Quito De La Roque, Bostons Angel and Jessie’s Dream look about the only other real contenders at this stage, although there is still plenty of time for another challenger to emerge in the weeks leading up to the Festival.
I personally haven’t ruled out Dessie Hughes’s Magnanimity just yet, with him having shaped well for a long way in the Lexus before tiring due to a lack of race fitness, but I’ll wait to see how he performs in his next race, which will more than likely be the Irish Hennessy, before making any sweeping declarations about him.
One thing is for certain though, the march to Cheltenham has now well and truly begun and this year’s Gold Cup is starting to look like it could be every bit as thrilling as last year’s spectacular.
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