Road has form to Respect
TODAY’S Cheltenham Gold Cup is a wide-open affair and, with 18 runners, has attracted a bigger field than usual.
It’s not a strong race for statistics but we can rule out contenders:
Previously beaten in a Gold Cup.
Not won in Grade 1 company.
That leaves us five qualifiers — American, Edwulf, Might Bite, Road To Respect and Total Recall.
Of those American is place fodder at best.
Might Bite has a nearperfect profile but has wayward tendencies — probably inherited from his sire Scorpion.
He’s the obvious pick for many, but the fact he’s messed about up the run-in both times he’s raced here is off-putting.
Total Recall deserves his chance but it’s a major step up from winning a Ladbroke off a lowly mark to being a Gold Cup contender.
Edwulf deserves respect having recovered from collapsing in last year’s National Hunt Chase.
He narrowly beat Outlander by a neck last month but that line of form leads us to Noel Meade’s ROAD TO RESPECT.
His Leopardstown win over Christmas is the best performance on offer this season.
He’s a Festival winner, he won’t mind the ground and he’s owned by all-conquering Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary.
Have 4pts win at 14-1 with Boylesports.