Ground Conditions Put Paid to Jagwar ´ S Cheltenham Bid

Ante-post Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase favourite Jagwar has actually been ruled out of Saturday's Cheltenham masterpiece, being stated a non-runner due to ground conditions.


The prominent early-season contest had actually been a long-held prepare for the training team Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero since landing the Plate with ease at the Cheltenham Festival, and although positive ahead of the race the group will have to hold back 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 relentless 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 due to the fact that of the way the ground has actually gone, it was going to be extremely hard for him so we have actually decided with Oliver and Josh that we'll wait for another day," said Frank Berry, racing supervisor to McManus.


"It's a pity to miss the race, but it the best thing for the horse. It's no big deal and he was prepared to run, it's simply the ground has actually gone for him.


"We'll be taking a look at all the alternative races for him now as he is really well and was prepared to go."


Alan King, a fitness instructor who 10 years ago struck with Annacotty, runs Es Perfecto in the same colours - a gelding who finished just nine lengths behind Caldwell Potter when fifth at the Cheltenham Festival.


"This has been his target for a long time and his preparation has actually gone well. I more than happy enough with him," said 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 locations in the last 50 yards.


"He's ready to begin back and we'll see how we go."


Paul Nicholls might be without the abovementioned Caldwell Potter, but can call on defending 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 great type and Vincenzo is charged with striking while the iron is hot after some constant performances last term.


Vincenzo represents the in-form Sam Thomas (Andrew Matthews/PA)


"He put in some great races last season and I 'd rather find out where we are in a leading race than a common 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 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 Showing up Easy and Theatre Native.


The previous of De Bromhead's duo has won his last 3 over the larger challenges and gets here on the back of a precise Listed success at Killarney for Darragh O'Keeffe, while Theatre Native will have the assistance of champion jockey Sean Bowen.


Showing up Easy and Jordan Gainford take Listed honours in the O'Donoghue Ring Chase Henry de Bromhead can do no wrong pic.twitter.com/g99UcNmj7K


- KillarneyRaces (@KillarneyRaces) August 23, 2025


De Bromhead said: "They are two good horses, and both are in good type.


"Showing up Easy has won his last three and did it nicely at Killarney the last day.


"Theatre Native won well around there in 2015 and she had actually a good very first run back in Limerick, so ideally she will advance from that.


"We were pleased to get Sean to ride Theatre Native and we have 2 jockeys in form which is great."


Bad arrives 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 out if he's simply a Kempton professional or not. I think he's a different horse to the one I trained a couple of years earlier," stated Pauling.


"He ran extremely well in the Boodles (Fred Winter). I understand he was almost preferred 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 flexible enough to manage any track, he's going there in great order and he must be competitive."