Cheltenham Gold Cup: Djakadam in the frame once again

At the beginning of this season the Cheltenham Gold Cup was shaping up to be one of the most intriguing renewals in recent times, with the line-up potentially consisting of two former champions in Coneygree and Don Cossack, the evergreen Cue Card (who was still going well when falling three out in last year’s race), Vautour – who was of course controversially re-routed to the Ryanair at the last minute last season – and the small matter of Thistlecrack, who had torn apart the staying hurdle division in 2015/16 and had reportedly got the Gold Cup on his radar for his first season over fences.

Racing is very rarely straightforward, however, and after the sad news of Vautour’s loss broke in early-November, both Coneygree and Don Cossack have since been ruled out of their attempted bids to land a second win in the race, and though the former – who’d made a satisfactory return to action when second to Cue Card in the Betfair Chase – may be back for Punchestown, Don Cossack has been retired.

With Cue Card reportedly set to drop back in trip for the Ascot Chase over an extended two and a half miles in February following his below-par run in the King George last time, the Ryanair – a race he won back in 2013 – would perhaps seem a more likely Festival target for him.

That of course leaves Thistlecrack, who was three and a quarter lengths ahead of Cue Card in the King George but was value for plenty more than that, having put in a superb round of jumping – particularly at the ditches – and making a devastating move for home after four out which the others in the field simply could not match. The field were bunched in behind him at the finish, with Cue Card, Silviniaco Conti and Tea For Two all covered by less than a length. With that in mind, Thistlecrack’s King George performance was clearly more about style than substance, but his style promises much more when the circumstances and quality of the opposition allow. He will come in to the Gold Cup Timeform top rated after just four starts over fences and is clearly the one to beat, with the potential for even better to come.

With the favourite looking so strong, an each-way option seems the way to go. Native River hasn’t looked back since reverting to prominent tactics and being united with Richard Johnson/cheekpieces, landing the Mildmay on his final start as a novice and then winning the Hennessy and Welsh National (from the same mark) this season. He remains with potential as a chaser and could have more to offer yet, but considering the improvement he will need to show to get involved in this race, odds of around 5/1 look short enough.

Outlander put himself in the picture for this race when landing the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas (a race in which Valseur Lido marked himself down as more of a Ryanair contender than a Gold Cup contender), and he would have place claims should the likes of Cue Card go elsewhere.

However, Outlander is only marginally bigger in the betting than Djakadam, who is rated 5 lb higher and has been here and done this before, having finished second in the last two renewals of the race behind Coneygree in 2015 and Don Cossack in 2016. Djakadam put up a performance good enough to have won an average renewal of the Gold Cup with his effort in the race last season, and though a repeat of that run might not be enough to overthrow Thistlecrack, it would likely be good enough to see him into the places. Despite the rapidly depleting list of challengers, Djakadam’s price hasn’t changed much following his third in the Lexus last time (beaten around two and a half lengths by Outlander), but he was not seen to best effect that day, having done a bit too much in the opening stages and then being shuffled back by a weakening rival on the home turn.

Djakadam will arrive at Cheltenham with solid each-way claims once again, and though beating Thistlecrack may seem a big ask, it is worth pointing out that previous Gold Cup winners Red Rower (1945), The Dikler (1973) and The Fellow (1994) all won the race after placing in two previous renewals.

Recommendation:

Back Djakadam each-way for the 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup at 12/1

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