Saturday December Gold Cup analysis as Sean Bowen masterclass seals race for Glengouly

Brilliant Bowen strikes Gold

It took about six seconds for them to reach the first fence in the Support The Hunt Family December Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.

By that point GLENGOULY was in front under the Champion Jockey Sean Bowen and the 33/1 chance didn’t relinquish that position over the next 17 fences or on the climb for home.

The first thing to say is this was no fluke.

Yes, there was an element of the rest of the jockeys underestimating the rag of the field who was bowling along on the front end, but the performance of Glengouly was one of a handicap good thing – even though ironically he was 7lb wrong at the weights.

Imagine if he’d run off his true handicap mark, they wouldn’t have seen him for dust.

As it was seven were in with a chance at the second last. By the final fence that was realistically just two, Glengouly pursued by Vincenzo, and when neither of them were particularly fluent it was Bowen who picked up his mount and drove him home for a convincing one-and-a-half length success.

Why was he so underestimated by the market? Being 7lb out of the weights was a factor, but so was this horse’s history. Formerly trained by Willie Mullins, Glengouly hadn’t won a race since Thurles three years and 17 starts ago.

Faye Bramley, ably assisted by a certain AP McCoy, who encouraged her to ‘aim high’, deserves all the plaudits that come her way for this victory.

Her first Cheltenham winner, the biggest success of her career, with an ex-Mullins horse who hadn’t won for three years, this is the stuff of dreams.

The first four pieces of the jigsaw were thus; he dropped like a stone in the handicap, he had wind surgery, he was sharpened up with a couple of runs over two miles and then the cheekpieces were added.

The final piece was the booking of Sean Bowen, who produced a brilliant ride.

Straight to the front, dominant, got him in a rhythm, controlled a sensible pace – his finishing speed was 107%, indicative of an average gallop. And again, the fact he was on the outsider of the field might’ve helped, as he wasn’t pestered on the lead whatsoever.

Whether this was Glengouly’s (December) Gold Cup remains to be seen. On the one hand everything went like clockwork today and he’s unlikely to be underestimated in the future. On the other a new mark likely in the 130s still gives him some leeway on his old form, so perhaps he will add to this success.

For the jockey it was the 155th winner of his campaign, the 28th Cheltenham victory of his career. It’s his biggest Cheltenham success so far, but it would be pretty surprising if his 0/52 Cheltenham Festival record isn’t enhanced by at least one winner come March.

He’s just too good not to bag one soon.

Jagwar retains tonnes of promise

Several gambles went astray at Cheltenham’s Christmas Meeting.

First there was Jarrive De L’Est who had to settle for second in the Glenfarclas Cross Country on Friday after being punted in from 7/1 to 7/4.

Then on Saturday in the JCB Triumph Trial One Horse Town ensured a one-horse book after being drilled into 4/6 from 7/4 before finishing a well-beaten third behind mighty prospect Minella Study for Adam Nicholl.

And in the December Gold Cup itself JP McManus’ Jagwar was very solid very late on as he was punted into 11/4 from 7/2 on course to go off a strong favourite despite several players jostling for the market leader position throughout the morning.

Behind Glengouly, all those market leaders were fighting for the places. It looks form you can trust. And Jagwar needs marking up.

Not only was he poorly positioned off the average gallop, he didn’t jump brilliantly by any means and considering this was his first run since his Festival win in March he did incredibly well to finish a neck behind the runner-up Vincenzo in third.

He’ll come on for this. Softer ground over this intermediate trip could help him, or he could go out in trip.

Either way he looks better than a 148-rated horse, potentially much better, and it will be fascinating to chart his progress to the spring.

Big handicap or graded race the end game for him?

I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the latter.

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