Ground Conditions Put Paid to Jagwar ´ S Cheltenham Bid
Ante-post Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase preferred Jagwar has been dismissed of Saturday's Cheltenham showpiece, being declared a non-runner due to ground conditions.
The prominent early-season contest had been a long-held strategy for the training team Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero because landing the Plate with ease at the Cheltenham Festival, and although positive ahead of the race the group will have to hold off running their JP McManus-owned gelding.
He was because of bring top-weight around Cheltenham and with the ground rapidly deteriorating on Friday due to relentless rain, connections have chosen to keep their powder dry with the six-year-old.
It was a dismal 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 tough for him so we have actually chosen with Oliver and Josh that we'll wait on another day," stated Frank Berry, racing supervisor to McManus.
"It's a pity to miss out on the race, however it the very best thing for the horse. It's no big offer and he was prepared to run, it's simply the ground has actually chosen him.
"We'll be taking a look 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 same colours - a gelding who ended up 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 actually worked out. I enjoy enough with him," stated King.
Trainer Alan King is seeking another Paddy Power Gold Cup win (David Davies/PA)
"He ran effectively at the Festival - he just got run out of the places in the last 50 backyards.
"He's prepared to draw back and we'll see how we go."
Paul Nicholls might be without the abovementioned Caldwell Potter, but can call on protecting champ Il Ridoto searching for a fifth 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 efficiencies last term.
Vincenzo represents the Thomas (Andrew Matthews/PA)
"He put in some terrific races last season and I 'd rather learn where we are in a top race than a regular race," stated 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 three over the bigger challenges and shows up on the back of a well-defined Listed success at Killarney for Darragh O'Keeffe, while Theatre Native will have the support of champ jockey Sean Bowen.
Coming 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 good horses, and both remain in great type.
"Turning up Easy has actually won his last 3 and did it nicely at Killarney the last day.
"Theatre Native won well around there in 2015 and she 'd a great very first run back in Limerick, so hopefully 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 terrific."
Bad shows up in leading kind (Nigel French/PA)
The rest 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 discover if he's just a Kempton specialist or not. I believe he's a various horse to the one I trained a couple of years back," said Pauling.
"He ran extremely well in the Boodles (Fred Winter). I understand he was almost favourite and wound up being beaten 10 lengths but he hit the front plenty soon enough that day.
"We will learn however if he's versatile enough to deal with any track, he's going there in excellent order and he must be competitive."