Missunited 'at her peak' for Gold Cup A win for Mick Winters with Missunited would surely only be second in popularity to a win for The Queen's Estimate in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot today. The gallant former Galway Hurdle heroine struck at Listed level at Leopardstown on her latest appearances, but faces a big step up in class against the likes of Ballydoyle colt Leading Light, as well as last year's winner Estimate. "She's in great order. It was an ambition of the owners for her to run in this, so at least we've got her there," said County Cork trainer Winters. "She's coming in off the back of a good win last time and will have improved a fraction for that, whether she's improved enough to get involved I don't know. She's probably at her peak for the year and if she finishes in the money I'd be delighted, we can't expect more than that. "Aidan's (Leading Light) is obviously a very serious horse and Brown Panther looked good at Sandown, but they all have to stay. She won over two and a half miles over hurdles as a young horse, I know it's completely different but at least she's won over the distance. "Kevin Manning was very impressed with her last time, but he has to stay in Ireland to ride for Jim Bolger so the owners booked Jim Crowley. She's an easy ride." Dermot Weld won with Rite Of Passage in 2010 and Pale Mimosa runs in the same colours. "She's very well, I'm very pleased with her and she's a very good mare, but she'd never want the ground too firm," said Weld. Leading Light, Missunited and Pale Mimosa are part of a formidable Irish challenge. Champion jumps trainer Willie Mullins saddles last year's runner-up Simenon, who needs to bounce back from a disappointing start to the year, while Johnny Murtagh's Royal Diamond won the Long Distance Cup at Ascot last October. Completing the raiding party are the John Oxx-trained Saddler's Rock and Pat Shanahan's talented stayer Ralston Road, with the latter lining up on the back of a dead-heat victory in the Grand Cup at York.
