I really can not understand why anyone would want to see Cue Card in the Ryanair rather than the CGC. Such a policy, is to me, Unambituos with a huge capital ‘U’ and surely the horse deserves a crack at the big ‘un rather than a race which has no history and no kudos whatsoever. Also, in my view, it has no place at the Festival either as all the Ryanair does, like a few other recent additions, is too dilute the product of the Festival and rob people of witnessing real contests.
Cue Card earlier in the term stayed 25 furlongs on soft ground, at Haydock Park, no problems whilst on breeding the trip at Cheltenham should be no probs as his dam won over 3 miles and even ran in the old Grand National. I’m not going to say he will or will not stay, as I don’t think anyone can say such a thing with 100% certainty until its attempted at Cheltenham, but to rob him of the opportunity to race in the CGC is in my opinion baffling and could turn Cue Card into the Quevega of steeplechasing – namely a horse who goes for the easy option rather than a race that could propel the beast to mega-stardom and show the world what they are really capable of in one of the races of the whole term.
Also, how do people know if after last years Ryanair connections of Cue Card weren’t left with the sense of ‘what might have been’??? His romp in that heat must have let connections to ponder what would have happened had he run in the 2013 CGC in similar form. Maybe, they don’t want to be left with similar feelings in 2014 should he win the Ryanair in an effortless manner.
Finally, re ante-post punting, people, please don’t fall into the age old trap of backing horses in races you think they should run in. All that counts is the races that connections will actually run them in.
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