With the Cue Card, First Lieutenant and Al Ferof likely to be engaged in the blue riband event there is some value IMO further down the betting. Champion Court proved in the Argento yesterday that he wants to go faster over shorter fighting his jockey for the first circuit. In the circumstances did well to finish 20 odd lengths behind the winner giving him 6lb. Ran nicely in this race last year and rates a decent each way proposition at 20s. Doesn't appear to be ground dependant either. NRNB so I've had a piece.
Champion Court always seems to find at least one too good though, admirable animal though he is. If we take out the three you've mentioned looking at the market the ones I'd like to be with are Riverside Theatre, previous winner (16/1), and Sizing Europe (20/1), over his optimum trip on good ground (hopefully). Did Wishfull Thinking throw himself back into the mix with a terrific performance yesterday?
You may well be right Joe, he does have an unhappy knack of coming second. I just think that he has a big race in him. If you watch last year's race he tried to keep up with Cue Card and paid for it in the end. There won't be anything of Cue Card's quality in the race this year. His runs this year were better than the bare form suggests IMO. In the paddy power he had to carry a fair old weight and got smacked across the jaw by the hoof of the horse in front at the second last. That hill is steep enough without getting whacked as you start ascending. At Huntingdon the saddle slipped otherwise I'm pretty sure he would have beaten Riverside Theatre giving him 6lbs. Having said all that I wouldn't begrudge a second to Sizing Europe though.
I'd love to see Sizing Europe turn up for one last big run at the festival, would bring the house down on the Thursday just before Big Bucks goes and wins the World Hurdle, what a perfect days racing that would be! We all know racing doesnt work like that though unfortunately! Take your point about Champion Court, I was never convinced about him until that gloomy Thursday at the festival when he and Sir Des Champs emerged from the fog to fight out the last half mile or so of the Jewson/JLT novices race, he went down as a very decent horse in my book then, but he's not lived up to his promise IMO, and I just feel his time may have passed
Not sure if anyone else fancied him, but Maarito has been scratched at the latest declaration stage sadly. He stuck in my head from falling 3 out when going very nicely in last year's Jewson, when I was on him at 33s! Won nicely at New Year and haven't heard why he's been scratched...
Dynaste?! That's a bold one based on his King George run. Classy horse granted, but a leap of faith required there methinks. Haven't been that keen on any of Segal's ante-post selections this year actually...
Sitting on a ticket of 33s for Hunt Ball but doubt theyll even take the chance, although he ran a top race at the weekend. Has Dynaste been declared either way yet? I would still fancy a place in the Gold Cup to be honest, the KG was too bad too be true and he showed his class the race before behind Cue Card.
