Rising above the mediocrity: Gold Cup division is A Plus Tard's for the taking

Christmas is often the time when the ante-post market for the Cheltenham Gold Cup begins to solidify. It's usually because the King George VI Chase confirms the potential of something or other, and then the Savills Chase comes into play two days later, followed, however inexplicably, by the other Savills Chase at Tramore on New Year's Day.

As we head for Leopardstown, the market has certainly evolved on the back of what happened at Kempton, but not in the way we might have anticipated.

Minella Indo blew out abysmally after trying to go toe-to-toe with Frodon, his second defeat in as many starts since scaling the summit of jump racing in March, while Chantry House likewise failed spectacularly to fulfil his considerable potential.