The Best Trials For The Gold Cup
January 25th, 2008With Cheltenham’s January meeting just about to take place it seemed a good idea to examine what chances the meeting has of producing a Gold Cup winner and where the Gold Cup winner usually comes from.
Tomorrow’s Letherby and Christopher Chase looks between Our Vic and Neptune Collonges. With both priced at 50/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup it seems that this can’t really be deemed a valid trial.
These are the routes to the Gold Cup the eventual winners took since 2000.
2000 - Looks Like Trouble - Pulled up in the King George, won the Pillar (now the Letherby and Christopher Chase)
2001 - Abandoned
2002 - Best Mate - Runner up in the King George
2003 - Best Mate - Won the King George
2004 - Best Mate - Won the Lexus
2005 - Kicking King - Won the King George
2006 - War Of Attrition -Runner up in the Lexus
2007 - Kauto Star - Won the King George
Earlier in the season I highlighted the poor record of Hennessy Gold Cup winners and from the above evidence it is absolutely essential that a Gold Cup hopeful at least contests either the King George or the Lexus, without necessarily winning. If your ante post ticket contains a horse who was resting over the Christmas period, you might as well rip it up now.