Meade: Road to Respect ideal for bid at Gold Cup
NOEL Meade’s Road To Respect has made giant strides since winning a handicap at Cheltenham last year and has been kept fresh since winning a Grade One at Leopardstown at Christmas ahead of today’s Gold Cup.
“Nobody could paint a horse that could win a Gold Cup, but anybody who looks at this lad would like him,” said Meade. “He is everything you want. He has the most beautiful head, shoulders and depth and strength everywhere. He’s the most beautiful horse you could wish to see, so if ever you could paint a Gold Cup winner, you would say this could be one.”
The fact Edwulf is even lining up for Joseph O’Brien is a tribute to the Cheltenham vets who treated him after a major scare at the meeting last year. He recuperated well enough to win the Irish Gold Cup last time out to book his place.
“After what happened in Cheltenham, JP (McManus, owner) and Frank (Berry, racing manager) said we could take our time with him and if he never ran again, that was fine and if he did, then great,” said O’Brien.
“He was absolutely flying going into the Irish Gold Cup. He was 100-1 the day before and went off 33s. We’ve been happy with him since and hopefully he goes there with a good each-way chance.”
Saphir Du Rheu was fifth last year for Paul Nicholls and behind Native River on his comeback at Newbury.
“He has improved massively from his first run at Newbury. I couldn’t do any more than I did with him before that, but he has got it all to do,” said Nicholls.