Thistlecrack Defeat Opens Up Gold Cup Thistlecrack was pushed out to 7/4 from 4/5 at BetVictor in the betting for the 2017 Timico Gold Cup in the immediate aftermath of the defeat of the brilliant novice at the hands of the ill-fated Many Clouds in the Cotswold Chase on Trials Day at the end of January. Many Clouds was winning the Cheltenham race for the second time and, arguably, on the day just wanted to win more than Thistlecrack. Racing historians will tell us his 2015 Grand National triumph under 11st 9lbs for trainer Oliver Sherwood, owner Trevor Hemmings and jockey Leighton Aspell was one of the great Aintree performances, but I just wonder if Many Clouds second Cotswold Chase success was not his finest hour when he, seemingly, ran his heart out up the famous Cheltenham hill. The subsequent post mortem revealed he had died from a “severe pulmonary haemorrhage” but one thing’s for certain he died with his boots on — what a horse. Thistlecrack supporters will hope that better ground, it was officially soft on Trials Day, will help the Colin Tizzard-trained favourite in the Festival’s Blue Riband event and it was certainly no disgrace to lose his unbeaten record over fences to such a great rival. Back on spring ground Thistlecrack remains the one to beat even allowing for the fact that the Gold Cup is run over a furlong further than the Cotswold Chase — that said if we get a wet spring, we now know that his stamina is not guaranteed over an extended three-and-a-quarter-miles. Next in the betting for the Gold Cup with BetVictor at 9/2 is the favourite’s stablemate Native Friend who is unbeaten in three starts over fences since being united with champion jockey Richard Johnson. The partnership first came to prominence when they made most to win the Grade 1 Novices’ Chase at Aintree last spring and this Tizzard inmate is guaranteed to stay every yard of the Gold Cup trip having won the Welsh National at Chepstow last time over a trip three furlongs further than the Gold Cup distance. Native River’s critics will tell you he has yet to win in three starts at Cheltenham, but he ran a blinder in the 4m NH Chase when finishing second last season, despite making a number of significant mistakes under his amateur pilot. Normally a sound jumper, as well as guaranteed stayer, he may lack the class of his stablemate(s) but the Gold Cup is often a war of attrition and Native River will be a hard horse to pass if he leads his field over the final fence. Djakadam is next in the Gold Cup betting with BetVictor at odds of 6/1 and Willie Mullins eight-year-old will be looking to make it third time lucky having finished runner up in the last two Gold Cup renewals to Coneygree (2015) and Don Cossack (2016). Injury prevents both those former champions from facing the starter this year and, indeed, the latter has retired although the hope is that we still see the former back on a racecourse at some stage. Djakadam was too keen for his own good when third in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown last time and he would surely have finished only third in 2016 had Cue Card not fallen three out when still going well. Djakadam is still only an eight-year-old and this should be his time, but he is without a win in four starts at Cheltenham and the suggestion is that may find at least one too good again in March although he looks sure to run a big race. Despite winning a King George and finishing runner up to stablemate Thistlecrack at Kempton in December I am not convinced the eight-time Grade 1 winner Cue Card is as effective going right-handed as he is left-handed and at 7/1 in the betting with BetVictor he gets the each way vote. Cue Card - Haydock©Healy Racing PhotosCue Card first burst onto the Cheltenham scene for the Tizzards’ when winning the Champion Bumper back in 2010 and he was also successful at the 2013 Festival when winning the Ryanair Chase by no less than nine lengths. Cue Card looked as good as ever when thrashing Coneygree in the Betfair Chase earlier in the season on heavy ground, and I am prepared to forgive his subsequent defeat at the hands of Thistlecrack in the King George at Kempton back on a left-hand track. Yes, the last 11-year-old to win the Gold Cup was Mandarin back in 1962 but we were told novices don’t win the Gold Cup until Coneygree blew that stat out of the water two years ago. The evergreen Cue Card has been a magnificent servant to connections and we will never know how he would have fared had he stood up in the corresponding race twelve months ago — my guess is that he would have finished a gallant second to Don Cossack. There is no Don in the field this year but there is a Thistle to Crack — and we now know his stablemate is beatable. It promises to be a wonderful race and the culmination to the most-eagerly awaited week on the racing calendar. Cue Card is 7/1 in the Gold Cup betting with BetVictor and he gets my each way vote — one of the reasons we love jump racing is because of the longevity of the horses. When Cue Card won the Champion Bumper back in 2010, I wonder if connections dared to dream he would still be dining at the top table seven years on. A win for Cue Card would bring a smile back to jump racing enthusiasts after the sad loss of Many Clouds — I’m betting on a Cue Card Gold Cup win at BetVictor but what about you? By Charlie McCann Latest Gold Cup Prices Sponsored Content
