Ground Conditions Put Paid to Jagwar ´ S Cheltenham Bid
Ante-post Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase preferred Jagwar has been ruled out of Saturday's Cheltenham masterpiece, being stated a non-runner due to ground conditions.
The distinguished early-season contest had actually been a long-held prepare for the training group Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero given that landing the Plate with ease at the Cheltenham Festival, and although positive ahead of the race the group will need to hold off running their JP McManus-owned gelding.
He was due to carry top-weight around Cheltenham and with the ground rapidly deteriorating on Friday due to unrelenting rain, connections have actually chosen to keep their powder dry with the six-year-old.
It was a gloomy scene at Cheltenham at the close of racing on Friday (David Davies for The Jockey Club)
"It is since of the method the ground has actually gone, it was going to be extremely difficult for him so we've chosen with Oliver and Josh that we'll wait for another day," Berry, racing supervisor to McManus.
"It's a pity to miss the race, however it the very best thing for the horse. It's no big offer and he was ready to run, it's simply the ground has actually chosen him.
"We'll be looking at all the alternative races for him now as he is extremely well and was ready to go."
Alan King, a trainer who 10 years ago struck with Annacotty, runs Es Perfecto in the exact same colours - a gelding who completed just 9 lengths behind Caldwell Potter when 5th at the Cheltenham Festival.
"This has been his target for a long time and his preparation has worked out. I more than happy enough with him," said King.
Trainer Alan King is looking for another Paddy Power Gold Cup win (David Davies/PA)
"He ran very well at the Festival - he only got lacked the places in the last 50 yards.
"He's ready to draw back and we'll see how we go."
Paul Nicholls might lack the previously mentioned Caldwell Potter, but can contact defending champion Il Ridoto searching for a 5th win in the race, while Dan Skelton will saddle Panic Attack, Hoe Joly Smoke and Newton Abbot winner Riskintheground.
Meanwhile, Sam Thomas has his string in fine type and Vincenzo is charged with striking while the iron is hot after some consistent performances last term.
Vincenzo represents the in-form Sam Thomas (Andrew Matthews/PA)
"He put in some terrific races last season and I 'd rather discover where we are in a leading race than a normal race," said Thomas.
"And if he wins or runs well, we have those two-and-a-half-mile (races) at Cheltenham every conference near enough, so that would the obvious thing to do with him."
There is a strong Irish hand with Gavin Cromwell bringing over both Thecompanysergeant and The Other Mozzie, Paul Nolan runs Conyers Hill and Henry de Bromhead is double-handed with Coming Up Easy and Theatre Native.
The previous of De Bromhead's duo has actually won his last 3 over the larger challenges and arrives on the back of a well-defined Listed success at Killarney for Darragh O'Keeffe, while Theatre Native will have the help of champ jockey Sean Bowen.
Showing up Easy and Jordan Gainford take Listed honours in the O'Donoghue Ring Collection Handicap Chase Henry de Bromhead can do no incorrect pic.twitter.com/g99UcNmj7K
- KillarneyRaces (@KillarneyRaces) August 23, 2025
De Bromhead stated: "They are 2 nice horses, and both are in excellent type.
"Showing up Easy has actually won his last 3 and did it well at Killarney the last day.
"Theatre Native won well around there last year and she had actually a good first run back in Limerick, so ideally she will step forward from that.
"We were thrilled to get Sean to ride Theatre Native and we have two jockeys in kind which is great."
Bad arrives in leading form (Nigel French/PA)
The rest of the field is made up of Venetia Williams' Hunter Legend, Gary and Josh Moore's Issar d'Airy and Ben Pauling's Bad, who tuned up for this with a win at Kempton last month.
"We'll discover if he's simply a Kempton specialist or not. I think he's a different horse to the one I trained a couple of years earlier," stated Pauling.
"He ran effectively in the Boodles (Fred Winter). I know he was almost preferred and wound up being beaten 10 lengths but he hit the front plenty quickly enough that day.
"We will discover however if he's versatile enough to deal with any track, he's going there in excellent order and he ought to be competitive."