Gold Cup Trials By Time

The final race in our series of sectional analysis is the big one – the Gold Cup.

As before we have timed sections of the race, usually the final 2f/3f, to see how this influences the overall time.

Gold Cup Trials
Before we analyse the times it is worth pointing out National Hunt data is notoriously unreliable, therefore all figures should be taken with a large pinch of salt.

Silviniaco Conti ridden to perfection
Paul Nicholls saddles the favourite but much of the credit must go to Noel Fehily.

He judged the pace to perfection in the Betfair Chase and King George. The finishing speed was close to 100% in both races, indicating an even distribution of energy.

Silviniaco Conti is a very good horse but it is dangerous to price him on two performances that went entirely to plan.

Coneygree Conundrum
Coneygree recorded the best Topspeed rating of all the trials in the Denman Chase (7 Feb) at Newbury.

Given his running style, this was always likely to happen. Coneygree has one way of running – from the front and fast, which is always conducive to good speed ratings.

We’ve probably seen the best of him and that is factored into his price.

Versitile Many Clouds a danger
Many Clouds has won all three starts this season and his versatility makes him a big player. He won a strongly run Hennessy (29 Nov) but also a steadily run Grade 2 at Cheltenham (24 Jan).

Lexus stuck in second gear
The major Irish trial was the Lexus Chase (28 Dec) at Leopardstown. Unfortunately it was an unsatisfactory race run at a crawl.

A Topspeed rating of 19 is ludicrously low given the calibre of horses in the field and the 109% finishing speed confirms the impression it turned into a sprint.

Under the circumstances, Boston Bob comes out with credit. Only beaten 6.25 lengths despite racing in rear and needing a proper stamina test.