PADDY POWER GOLD CUP - FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I love this meeting. I went last year and was fortunate to pick out Great Endeavour and had a great day all round, meeting up with some old friends and winning to boot, you just cannot beat it. I will be coming back to this race as too many options as you will see. Any comments welcomed. This year the horse that sticks out on the ratings I use, and assuming he is at his peak, is WALK ON and due to Herbie Fogg, I find I am already on at 14/1, who put the animal up a couple of weeks ago. At his current price it is more difficult to be too bullish. I have the race down to four leading chances, (WALK ON, GRANDS CRUS, AL FEROF, and HUNT BALL) and four others I cannot rule completely, DIVERS, NADIYA DE LA VEGA, POQUELIN and WISHFULL THINKING). However the market has it about right and it looks difficult to Dutch for a decent profit at the current prices. POQUELIN and WISHFULL THINKING have an awful lot of weight and it is very difficult to believe there is not something better weighted lower down. While I cannot rule them out I am happy to leave them alone and Betfair would suggest they are not quietly fancied. So a shortlist of 6. Looking at least years race, DIVERS was 3rd off 144 with 5lbs overweight and now runs off 138 and has been given a pipe opener by Ferdy who clearly has targeted the horse at the race again and I expect him to run a big race. The nearer the ground to good and if no worse than good to soft, he has to be on the short list. On the ratings I use he is still,however some 10 to 15lbs behind the 4 market leaders. NADIYA DE LA VEGA won last time out, a trait that is a favourable indicator, and is another who looks as though she has been targeted. She has to prove she is up to this class and the market suggest another Henderson runner in Triolo D'alene is more fancied from the stable. See is saver material at best for me as against this quality of opposition there is not enough in the current price. She is one I would want to have another look on the day and see if there was any stable confidence, but only for cover purposes. It is very easy to see why GRANDS CRUS is favourite but equally the price is not in the least bit tempting. Given the price I could only consider him as cover because he is the most likely winner, but you are going to go bankrupt backing the favourite in the leading handicap chase on a saturday, particulalry at 2/1! HUNT BALL is an amazing horse from small time connections who will light up the winners enclosure should they win. This time last year he was winning a Novice Chase of 69 and now runs off 157 and although he has answered every call bar his last race in a Grade 1 at Aintree. That was at the end of a long season of 9 races and is entitled to have been feeling the effects. AL FEROF has never been out of the first four when ridden by Ruby and should be ideally suited to the course and distance. He has been well backed in the last few days but still offers each way appeal at 8/1. So for first impressions I have WALK ON MAIN FANCY Win bet GRANDS CRUS Worthy favourite but due to price Saver bet AL FEROF Possible each way bet @ 8/1+ 4 places HUNT BALL Possible winner and still offering value, possible Win bet DIVERS Possible winner and still offering value possible Win bet NADIYA DE LA VEGA Cannot rule out possible saver bet but review market