He destroyed them at Punchestown - but can Allaho win a Cheltenham Gold Cup?

'I have no doubt he will stay the Gold Cup trip'

By Graeme Rodway, Deputy betting editor

Yes. This was a monstrous performance from a bona fide Grade 1 chaser and the way he powers through his races will make him difficult to beat over any trip.

Rhythm is everything in staying chases and he gets every other horse out of theirs. Harry Cobden said he was flat out on runner-up Clan Des Obeaux the whole way, yet Allaho appeared only to be doing a half-speed.

I have no doubt he will stay the Gold Cup trip and it will take a very smart performance to run him down should connections choose to go that way.

Punchestown Gold Cup: watch Allaho take apart his rivals with a stunning display

'In a Gold Cup he is going to take so many horses out of their comfort zone'

By David Jennings, Deputy Ireland editor

Of course he can. Some suggested he was out on his feet after the last and that an extra two furlongs will find him out but what do they want?

Allaho: was shortened to 8-1 for next year's Cheltenham Gold CupCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

He had a bunch of proven Grade 1 winners punch drunk by the time the field swung for home here. He won by 14 lengths, for goodness sake. In a Gold Cup he is going to take so many horses out of their comfort zone and the thorough stayers are really going to struggle in the middle part of the race when Allaho is at his most relentless.

It goes without saying that he is better going left-handed as well, so odds of around 8-1 seems perfectly fair for the Gold Cup. Before that, I could see him going off 1-2 to win next season's King George and winning by further than he did here.

'He proved any doubters emphatically wrong'

By Sam Inkersole, journalist

Can Allaho win the Cheltenham Gold Cup? Absolutely.

If there was one question over the Willie Mullins-trained superstar it was whether he would relish the step up to three miles having blitzed his opposition over two and a half, twice, in the Ryanair Chase.

Allaho proved any doubters emphatically wrong as he battered a high-quality field, making a group containing two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, last year’s Punchestown Gold Cup winner and a King George winner look absolutely bang average.

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'He's a monster' – Allaho storms to emphatic Punchestown Gold Cup win

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