Thistlecrack and Kemboy look to be the best value in the ante-post odds for the world’s most prestigious chase, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which is to be run on March 15.
Thistlecrack was a top class staying hurdler and noted for the size of his engine. He looked to be on his way to greatness when hacking up in his first four chases in 2016 including an ultra-impressive win in the prestigious King George Chase at Kempton Park, run annually on Boxing Day. He was touched off in a subsequent preparation at Cheltenham and then, alas, he had to be scratched as favourite for the Gold Cup after suffering a slight tendon tear. Last year he had to be scratched from the big one again after the discovery of a stress fracture in a leg.
However, in this season’s King George he looked back to himself despite now being a ten-year-old. He came off second best in a stirring duel to the line. However, it could be a different story in the climb up the Cheltenham hill where his obviously high VO2 Max will be at its most advantageous. He is now an eleven-year-old and trainer Colin Tizzard said last month, “Given his history of injuries and how he has picked them up, our best chance is going there without a run. He’s a lovely horse as we’ve always known and given the problems he’s had over the past season or two we just want to get him to the Gold Cup.”
Irish trainer Willie Mullins is the most successful Cheltenham Festival trainer in history but the Gold Cup has always eluded him. Ireland’s twelve-time champion trainer has entered three, Kemboy, Bellshill and Al Boum Photo. Kemboy looks to be his best chance. This rangy French-bred seven-year-old is Ireland’s most progressive chaser and comes off an emphatic victory in the Grade 1 Savills Chase over three miles at Leopardstown on December 28. He was unconsidered before that but had always been an eyecatching sort who just needed maturing. He has run twice at the Cheltenham Festival, finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Neptune Novices Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs in 2017 and fourth in the Grade 1 JLT Novice’s Chase over two miles and four furlongs last year.
The ruling Gold Cup favourite is Ireland’s Patrick Kelly-trained Presenting Percy, who is unbeaten in two starts at the Cheltenham Festival, winning the Listed Pertemps Network Final handicap hurdle over three miles in 2017 with second top weight and winning the Grade 1 RSA Insurances Novice Chase over three miles and half-a-furlong last year. Interestingly he beat Monalee by seven lengths in the latter race, the same horse which Kemboy beat by seven-and-a-half lengths in the Savills Chase. Presenting Percy has only raced once this season, defending his title in the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle over three miles at Gowran Park on 24 January. Last season he used that and a run in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase over two miles and four furlongs as his build up to Cheltenham, although he had also had three runs before Christmas.
Presenting Percy is at a best price 3/1, Kemboy is at 10/1 and Thistlecrack 16/1.
By David Thiselton
