If Captain Chris was to go for the Champion Chase, then I believe he would win, despite unseating at Exeter he looked the winner going to the last, despite conceeding weight to all of his rivals, and there were some good horse's in that field. Wether he will stay 3ms is open to debate, but I don't see alot of point in going over further, when the 2 mile division is at his mercy. End of the day what's better winning the Champion Chase, or finishing 2nd to Long Run
Toppy I think Sizing Europe is a doubtful stayer, his tank emptied very quickly at the weekend and I think he would struggle in a truly run King George, never mind a Gold Cup. For me he needs to be aimed at the Ryanair.
I think Somersby has an EW chance in the KG too. I have never had Master Minded down as a potential 3m stayer so i am happy to cross him off the list because i just don't think he will see out the trip. That leaves Captain Chris and Somersby as two logical alternatives, with my preference for the former but i can certainly see the case for the latter. My feeling is just that he might come up short whatever the trip. He always seems to find one or two too good whatever the circumstances.
Sorry if I'm missing something patently obvious here (it is quite early so that might be a possibility) but why are we talking about stepping the reigning two mile champ, Sizing Europe, up in trip? He run over these further distances last year too before reverting to his optimium 2 mile races after Christmas... He's not too bad over 2 miles around Cheltenham in March apparently
I just wonder whether Hobbs will take it slowly on Captain Chris easing him up towards a GC tilt in 2013. We know the horse gets 2m 4f and will probably get further, the King George trip is not a huge test of stamina where the focus is more on slick jumping at speed, if he goes down this route and runs with credit Hobbs may be tempted to throw him into the Gold Cup in a year where (Long Run aside) there are few proven alternatives, although I would think he'll build CC up towards maybe the Melling Chase as the furthest he'll tackle this year with 2012/13 being the point where all road lead to the blue riband.
I think it's a little naive to say Sizing Europe doesn't stay 3 miles on the back of a few defeats, afterall he ran like a donkey over 2 miles for much of last season, and it was only at Cheltenham were he came good. He's abit of an enigma so it's difficult to tell wether he's a non stayer, or that he's not 100% fit. I personally dont see any point in stepping him up, I'd keep him at 2 miles, and try and win another Champion Chase
3m against the very best horses on undulating and energy sapping tracks will always push a horses stamina, the Gold Cup trip cannot be won by any horse with a suspect engine and I don't see Sizing Europe ever fully getting the trip, a King George is a possibility but I've seen plenty of specialist 2 milers stay Kemptons 3 miles
