Djakadam© Photo Healy Racing
I had a great day at Gowran Park yesterday for the Thyestes Chase and have to say everyone did a great job in providing such a great service to the race goers in terms of pictures and commentary once it was clear ( no pun intended) that the fog wasn't going away.
The van following the runners with the camera out of a makeshift sunroof worked brilliantly and hat's off, if they weren't already blown off, to those involved. The people turned up in their masses and the atmosphere was not dampened one bit by the gloom that surrounded them.
I was impressed by Bryan Cooper's winning ride in the Galmoy Hurdle and everyone was impressed by the class horse in the Thyestes as Djakadam announced his top level credentials with a smooth victory under Ruby Walsh with the burden of top weight.
I was in the doubters camp regarding Djackadam with the weight, the ground and the non-staying question marks prior to the race but that was folly. Connections knew they had a very good horse, not overly burdened in this sort of company and thanks to a slightly kamikaze fast pace were pretty much the only one to have the class to travel and not leave a race behind at half way.
The Gold Cup is on the agenda now and why not? It's a very open year…
Silviniaco Conti leads the way, looking reformed again under his rider Noel Fehily and putting away good fields in England in all the big races. He has had quirks though or perhaps they have been quashed? Will he just be an unlucky Cheltenham horse? Given his efforts there to date I'd say he might be. At the current odds he looks short.
Roads To Riches the young gun from Ireland has done more than enough to pitch up and fancy his chances. He put to bed some tactical doubts in the Lexus and now looks a versatile stayer with the form in the book to get involved. A player for sure but from Galway Plate in 2014 to Gold Cup 2015 is a leap and a half isn't it?
Many Clouds was crabbed after the Hennessy in terms of what he achieved and whilst that might prove fair he heads for his next race with a position at the top table up for grabs come Cheltenham. If all goes well he might be the one that slipped under the radar whilst all around have been discussed.
Lord Windermere and Bobs Worth haven't yet fired any real warnings about their claims and supporters will be hoping their form at Cheltenham is just different to anything else. You can understand that but you can also question them accordingly
Holywell's position at the top end of the market is questionable in my opinion but many will have him in the reckoning and even the likes of Carlingford Lough and Boston Bob are being muted as serious contenders.
So where do we stand, especially now that Djakadam has just announced his candidacy? Can this mere six year old really land the Blue Riband of jumps racing? Well Long Run did it at such a tender age in 2011 but before that you must go back to 1963 and the great Mill House. It's a task and a half but he's now fourth best in the market.
I haven't got the foggiest yet, hopefully some low lying sun will clear it all away between now and then.
Good luck to all!
