Ground Conditions Put Paid to Jagwar ´ S Cheltenham Bid
Ante-post Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase preferred Jagwar has been eliminated of Saturday's Cheltenham masterpiece, being stated a non-runner due to ground conditions.
The prominent early-season contest had been a long-held prepare for the training group Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero because landing the Plate with ease at the Cheltenham Festival, and although positive ahead of the race the team will need to hold back running their JP McManus-owned gelding.
He was because of carry top-weight around Cheltenham and with the ground rapidly weakening on Friday due to unrelenting rain, connections have actually decided to keep their with the six-year-old.
It was a bleak scene at Cheltenham at the close of racing on Friday (David Davies for The Jockey Club)
"It is due to the fact that of the way the ground has actually gone, it was going to be extremely hard for him so we've chosen with Oliver and Josh that we'll wait on another day," said Frank Berry, racing supervisor to McManus.
"It's a pity to miss out on the race, however it the best thing for the horse. It's no huge offer and he was ready to run, it's just the ground has opted for him.
"We'll be looking at all the alternative races for him now as he is really well and was ready to go."
Alan King, a fitness instructor who 10 years ago struck with Annacotty, runs Es Perfecto in the very same colours - a gelding who completed only 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 enjoy enough with him," stated King.
Trainer Alan King is looking for another Paddy Power Gold Cup win (David Davies/PA)
"He ran extremely well at the Festival - he only got run out of the places in the last 50 lawns.
"He's prepared 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 looking for a 5th win in the race, while Dan Skelton will saddle Anxiety 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 efficiencies 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 out where we remain in a top race than an ordinary race," said Thomas.
"And if he wins or runs well, we have those two-and-a-half-mile (races) at Cheltenham every meeting near enough, so that would the apparent 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 Turning up Easy and Theatre Native.
The former of De Bromhead's duo has actually won his last 3 over the larger challenges and gets here on the back of a clear-cut Listed success at Killarney for Darragh O'Keeffe, while Theatre Native will have the assistance of champion jockey Sean Bowen.
Turning up Easy and Jordan Gainford take Listed honours in the O'Donoghue Ring Collection Handicap Chase Henry de Bromhead can do no wrong pic.twitter.com/g99UcNmj7K
- KillarneyRaces (@KillarneyRaces) August 23, 2025
De Bromhead stated: "They are 2 good horses, and both are in good kind.
"Turning up Easy has actually won his last 3 and did it perfectly at Killarney the last day.
"Theatre Native won well around there last year and she had actually a great first run back in Limerick, so hopefully she will step forward from that.
"We were delighted to get Sean to ride Theatre Native and we have two jockeys in type which is fantastic."
Bad shows up in top form (Nigel French/PA)
The remainder of the field is comprised 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 learn if he's simply a Kempton specialist or not. I think he's a various horse to the one I trained a number of years earlier," stated Pauling.
"He ran really well in the Boodles (Fred Winter). I know he was nearly favourite and wound up being beaten 10 lengths but he struck the front plenty quickly enough that day.
"We will find out however if he's versatile enough to manage any track, he's going there in excellent order and he must be competitive."