# What a ride



## amage (18 March 2011)

Fair play to Sam Waley-Cohen fabulous ride


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## Kadastorm (18 March 2011)

that was pretty epic! im glad he won, i hate all the hype about denman and kauto star, last year i backed imperial commander. 
there is no doubt they are all fab horses but well, long run did great.


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## mil1212 (18 March 2011)

great race, lovely to see the three coming down to the last! must have been the lessons with yogi breisner that clinched it!


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## alliersv1 (18 March 2011)

What a tremendous race!
Well deserved win, to SWC, and what a great horse Long Run is, a definite star for the future! 
I was a bit worried they'd go too fast on the quickening ground, but not too many scary moments thankfully.
What lovely scenes when Kauto and Denman come back into the winners enclosure too.


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## amage (18 March 2011)

Was a super race...I was very sorry to see Imperial Commander fade so fast. He seemed to blow up!


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## BlairandAzria (18 March 2011)

sam w - c .......yes please!


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## alliersv1 (18 March 2011)

amage said:



			Was a super race...I was very sorry to see Imperial Commander fade so fast. He seemed to blow up!
		
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That was a bit of a worry. He did fade quickly. Hopefully just ran out of steam!


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## Trinity Fox (18 March 2011)

That was an amazing ride but it was so nice to see the two old boys neck and neck it says something they can be so consistant year after year, its not easy to do as shown by last years winner.

It was also good that it wasnt one of those races where horses are racing on past thier best Denman and Kauto still got it, i tell you when they turned for home it was so exciting my heart was nearly busting out my chest.

And lovely for the family and trainer of the winner.


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## scotlass (18 March 2011)

Great race - congratulations to Sam Waley-Cohen, Nicky Henderson and all the connections of Long Run.

Performance of the race for me, however, was Denman.  He looked fabulous.  What a star.


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## amage (18 March 2011)

They've just said Imperial Commander pulled up sore. There is a sting in the ground I'd say....fingers crossed he is just a bit jarred up!


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## lindsayH (18 March 2011)

What a race. Denman and Kauto Star are such legends and Long Run - what a finish! Fabulous stuff!


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## Lanky Loll (18 March 2011)

Fantastic race and fair play to Sam W-C, took a while to get the horse jumping but when he did - WOW!


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## Smitty (18 March 2011)

Just listening to R4 (my age) and the news reporter has informed me that Long Run is the first 6 YO to win since Mill Reef .


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## MICHAELA8228 (18 March 2011)

Performance of the race for me, however, was Denman.  He looked fabulous.  What a star.[/QUOTE]


I agree - taking nothing away from the winner, but, I just love Denman.......  I did watch through my fingers though.......!!


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## 3Beasties (18 March 2011)

Amazing race!  Great win for Long Run and Denman and Kauto put up a great fight.

What a fantastic trainer Paul Nicholls is 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the Gold Cup!!


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## TelH (18 March 2011)

Smitty said:



			Just listening to R4 (my age) and the news reporter has informed me that Long Run is the first 6 YO to win since Mill Reef .
		
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I think you mean Millhouse  Mill Reef ran on the flat.

Denman just doesn't know when he's beat  But sadly I think age is finally catching up with both him and Kauto in particular. Big respect to Paul Nicholls for getting them back year after year, it will be interesting to see if they train on next season.

On different note I see nothing on the immediate horizon to challenge Long Run, horses like Kauto are only meant to come along once in a lifetime, it's a huge ask but it is just possible that Long Run could achieve as much


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## The Virgin Dubble (18 March 2011)

TelH said:



			I think you mean Millhouse  Mill Reef ran on the flat.

Denman just doesn't know when he's beat  But sadly I think age is finally catching up with both him and Kauto in particular. Big respect to Paul Nicholls for getting them back year after year, it will be interesting to see if they train on next season.

On different note I see nothing on the immediate horizon to challenge Long Run, horses like Kauto are only meant to come along once in a lifetime, it's a huge ask but it is just possible that Long Run could achieve as much 

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History has been made today. A six year old winner, with an amateur jockey on board, has won the Gold Cup. And he broke the course record. 

Denman was just fabulous, and has shut the knockers/doubters up yet again.

He can retire to my house now.


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## Goya (18 March 2011)

Am I a bad Mummy?
I had to take my son to the hospital this afternoon for a check up on his broken leg.
At 3pm we were still waiting so I left him in the waiting room to go back out to the car so I could at least listen to the race on 5 live.
And boy I am glad I did. What a race and what super horses. Win or lose they ran their hearts out.

(and yes, son was Ok)


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## ExRacers (18 March 2011)

Dubs, I'll fight you for him!

Brilliant race - when D & KS rounded the final bend together I thought they had it between them, but take nothing away from Long Run who outgunned them & was superbly ridden by Sam W-C.

Also to all those so called 'experts' who reckoned Sam Thomas couldn't ride one side of a beach donkey - I REST MY CASE!!


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## Trinity Fox (18 March 2011)

Ha Ha love it not bad at all i would have left mine went to nearest bookies to watch it and went back for him after.


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## sizz (18 March 2011)

I am a bad Mum too, daughter not feeling too well when I picked her up from school but had to go to bank, should have got her home, but we sat outside bank in car and listened to the race on radio 5, it was very exciting, my daughter then insisted on taking her sick bowl that she had been given at school into the bank, they didnt seem too impressed !


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## sizz (18 March 2011)

MICHAELA8228 said:



			Performance of the race for me, however, was Denman.  He looked fabulous.  What a star.
		
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I agree - taking nothing away from the winner, but, I just love Denman.......  I did watch through my fingers though.......!![/QUOTE]I do that when i sort of watch the Grand National ! Although its quite difficult when it is a five fag race !!


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## The Virgin Dubble (18 March 2011)

ExRacers said:



			Dubs, I'll fight you for him!

Brilliant race - when D & KS rounded the final bend together I thought they had it between them, but take nothing away from Long Run who outgunned them & was superbly ridden by Sam W-C.

Also to all those so called 'experts' who reckoned Sam Thomas couldn't ride one side of a beach donkey - I REST MY CASE!!
		
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Good post. (Apart from offering me a fight... )

And a big '' to all those who rubbish Denman as being somehow inferior.
He has proved without doubt, that he is up there with the best of them - deservedly so.


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## The Virgin Dubble (18 March 2011)

scotlass said:



			Performance of the race for me, however, was Denman.  He looked fabulous.  What a star.
		
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There should be a 'like' button for posts like this.


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## Smitty (18 March 2011)

TelH said:



			I think you mean Millhouse  Mill Reef ran on the flat.
		
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Yes, and very famously or so I thought - but the Beeb still managed to mix up the names of 2 of the racing greats


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## ladyt25 (18 March 2011)

Oh I sooo wish I'd seen it. Just saw the finish replay on the new tonight. Great win but i STILL think Denman is a fab horse, to come 2nd - AMAZING! I don't know what it is about him. i would never dare jump a NH fence but god if i had to choose a horse to sit on to jump one it'd be him. Plus I have always thought him and Sam Thomas make a fantastic team - when they won that year it just seemed to me that Sam sat so quietly and Denman just went up a gear and was relentless. I love him!!  heard this morning that they thought maybe the ground wasn't quite soft enough for Denman. With a bit more rain who knows.....!

Still fanatastic win for Long Run!


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## marble (18 March 2011)

Dubs and everyone else, Denman is mine....................mine...................mine..........I will fight everyone else and I am well over pension age.   Hands off.....................


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## Holly Hocks (18 March 2011)

Sam Waley-Cohen rode a fabulous race.  The other think I like was the amount of training that has also been done with him showjumping, to improve his jumps when he is racing.  There'll be a few people wanting to snap him up when his racing days are finished - hopefully in several more years!!


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## MurphysMinder (18 March 2011)

Smitty said:



			Yes, and very famously or so I thought - but the Beeb still managed to mix up the names of 2 of the racing greats 

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Yes I heard that too Smitty, oops Radio 4.

And sorry folks, I rather fancy taking on Denman myself.


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## Dobiegirl (18 March 2011)

In my opinion one of the most exciting Gold Cups. Long Run was brilliant but my heart was with Kauto & Denman. Yes its Kauto I want one of my all time favourites its just such a shame age catches up with them. Fantastic training by Paul Nicholls who is my favourite trainer.
So glad that Sam Thomas had the ride on Denman and he rode him superbly.

Next year the dangers could be Time for Rupert who ran no sort of race this week and Weapons Amnesty.


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## HashRouge (18 March 2011)

I cried when Denman and Kauto Star were fighting it out between them 
Beautiful race from Long Run, but Kauto and Denman made it extra special!


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## Taffyhorse (18 March 2011)

Having successfully managed to avoid hearing who'd won all day as I'd taped it... well, I've just watched it and I'm blown away, what a fabulous race.

Amazing to see Long Run and Sam WC triumph - the first amateur jockey in over 30 years I think???? And a big bleurrggh to the doubting thomases who were calling for Nicky Henderson to stick a professional up - I think he's managed to silence them conclusively now! 

BUT, I'm a Denman girl at heart - for a moment I thought he might do it but I think the ground and younger legs just got him on the day. What a record though, not many can claim a win in the RSA (I think it was the RSA), a win and 3 seconds in the Gold Cup, that's some sort of record. 

My only sadness was that Neptune Collonges dropped right out the back though finished- another fave, it would have been great if he'd been closer but hey ho, he never really looked like he was travelling today.

Be interesting to see if Kauto Star (who's also fab, great to see the old boys give the younger ones a run for their money) and Denman stay in training next year...?


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## hadfos (18 March 2011)

I honestly thought Kauto was going to get it,he travelled and jumped like the champ he is,my heart was giving it huge thuds,little boy thought I had gone mad shouting him on,lol  Long Run may have won the race,but it is the 2 old boys,especially Kauto that Made the race for me  x


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## Mithras (18 March 2011)

Really was a great race in so many ways.  I have become a Denman fan now though.  What a great working hunter he would make once he retires.  If Long Run hadn't be there we'd be heralding him as the true champion (he is anyway).  I was impressed with Long Run's jumping in the schooling session they showed.  Kauto Star was game too but I think he hasn't aged as well as Denman - don't French horses do more as youngsters?  Oh, but I wish I could have Denman as a working hunter!


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## Alec Swan (18 March 2011)

Today quite simply reinforced my love of jump racing.  

Cheltenham is Mecca.  The best of the best.  Long Run?  Well occasionally callous youth has the legs,  and victory was assured.  One of the best races which I've ever viewed.

Alec.


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## Mavis007 (19 March 2011)

Amazing race! I am just so glad Kauto came back in one piece, I was terrified there would be a replay of last year with a worse ending but he made a real race of it. I just hope they retire him now, he has achieved so much, why risk more at this stage??? Surely he has won enough....


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## Daffodil (19 March 2011)

Absolutely brilliant race!!     In fact, it's been an absolutely brilliant Festival. 

I gather from PN's website they are parading Kauto, Denman, Big Buck's, Al Ferof (sp?) and Zarkandar tomorrow at Ditcheat at 12.30.    

An event not to be missed.


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## sleepingdragon10 (19 March 2011)

TelH said:



			I think you mean Millhouse  Mill Reef ran on the flat.
		
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Er, no, she did mean Mill REEF! Radio presenter got it wrong.

Enjoyed every minute of Cheltenham this year, the GC was an extraordinarily good race, both the old champs ran blinders, and Sam Waley-Cohen rode Long Run brilliantly.


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## Tharg (19 March 2011)

It was a brilliant race


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## millhouse (19 March 2011)

Fabulous race - the best Gold Cup for years.  Well done all three of you!


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## JanetGeorge (21 March 2011)

Taffyhorse said:



			Amazing to see Long Run and Sam WC triumph - the first amateur jockey in over 30 years I think???? And a big bleurrggh to the doubting thomases who were calling for Nicky Henderson to stick a professional up - I think he's managed to silence them conclusively now!
		
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Not up to the trainer in this case.  Sam's father Robert owns the horse, they picked him out together and as long as Robert thought Sam could do the horse justice, there wouldn't have been ANY question of putting a professional up!  That was one of the nicest things about the win - it WAS a family affair!  And Sam worked his wotsits off to ensure he WAS ready for the big race - he's not a spoilt rich kid!  (Rich, yes, spoilt, no!)


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