December Gold Cup

It changes its name every year. I remember it as the Tripleprint, and Old Gets will remember it as the Massey Ferguson. The December Gold Cup is OK as names go and they should stick with that. But sadly the sponsors have moved in and named it the Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 WALOS Gold Cup instead.

The race is a week on Saturday, and a quick scan of the weights reveals the name of Quel Esprit on a mark of 148.

Quel Esprit clears a fence without falling

His Cheltenham form reads F6F, and yet if I knew he was a definite runner, I'd be all over the 16/1 on offer today.

But I don't know what Willie Mullins has in mind for him. He's never won this race before, and most of his good ones will be getting themselves ready for Leopardstown's Xmas meeting. If I were in his shoes, mind, I wouldn't be passing up the chance of winning a decent pot with a weight of only 10-6 to be worrying about.  Bejaysus he'll think he's runnin' loose!
 
He takes his name literally and has a shocking tendency to lunge at a fence.  Even if he ran, it must be no better than even money about him clearing the downhill obstacles.  And yet there's something about him, and the yard have seen him sent off at some shockingly short prices in his day.

Anyway I hope they do go for it, and at 16/1 I don't mind losing a small sum if they don't.

Quel Esprit: 1pt win at 16/1 (VC, Boylesports)