Ground Conditions Put Paid to Jagwar ´ S Cheltenham Bid
Ante-post Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase favourite Jagwar has been ruled out of Saturday's Cheltenham showpiece, being stated a non-runner due to ground conditions.
The prominent early-season contest had been a long-held prepare 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 team will have to hold back running their JP McManus-owned gelding.
He was due to bring top-weight around Cheltenham and with the ground rapidly deteriorating on Friday due to unrelenting rain, connections have actually decided 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 because of the way the ground has actually gone, it was going to be very tough for him so we've decided 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 very best thing for the horse. It's no big offer and he was prepared to run, it's simply the ground has gone for him.
"We'll be looking at all the alternative races for him now as he is effectively and was ready to go."
Alan King, a fitness instructor who ten years ago struck with Annacotty, runs Es Perfecto in the exact same colours - a gelding who finished just nine lengths behind Caldwell Potter when fifth at the Cheltenham Festival.
"This has actually been his target for a long time and his preparation has gone well. I'm happy enough with him," said 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 lacked the locations in the last 50 lawns.
"He's ready to draw back and we'll see how we go."
Paul Nicholls may lack the aforementioned Caldwell Potter, however can get in touch with protecting champion Il Ridoto searching for a fifth 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 tasked 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 fantastic races last season and I 'd rather discover where we remain in a leading race than an ordinary race," stated 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 Showing up Easy and Theatre Native.
The former of De Bromhead's duo has actually won his last three over the bigger obstacles and arrives on the back of a specific 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 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 remain in excellent 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 nice first run back in Limerick, so hopefully she will step forward from that.
"We were happy to get Sean to ride Theatre Native and we have two jockeys in type which is fantastic."
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 expert or not. I think he's a various horse to the one I trained a number of years earlier," said Pauling.
"He ran extremely well in the Boodles (Fred Winter). I understand he was nearly preferred and ended up being beaten 10 lengths but he hit the front plenty quickly enough that day.
"We will discover however if he's flexible enough to deal with any track, he's going there in excellent order and he need to be competitive."