49 entries revealed for
The Open highlight
A total of 49 entries (up from 44 in 2012) are revealed today for
the Paddy Power Gold Cup - the feature race of The Open which kick starts the
2013/2014 Jump season on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 15, 16 & 17.
The
Grade Three handicap chase boasts prize money of £160,000 and takes place on
the second day of The Open at Cheltenham, Saturday, November 16.
Reigning
champion trainer Nicky Henderson has one Paddy Power Gold Cup victory to his
name, with Fondmort taking the honours a decade ago.
He is
responsible for seven entries this year, the most of any trainer, which are
headed by 2012 Queen Mother Champion Chase victor Finian's Rainbow (14/1
with Paddy Power), Captain Conan (10/1), a triple Grade One winner in
novice company last season, Rajdhani Express (10/1), successful in the
Listed Rewards4Racing Novices' Handicap Chase at The Festival in 2013, and the
mare Nadiya De La Vega (16/1), who was third last year. His three other
entries are Kid Cassidy (16/1), Triolo d'Alene (14/1) and Ma
Filleule (16/1).
Henderson
said: "This weekend, we will find out where we are with the horses
because the first of what I would call the main bunch will be running. I have
no doubt that some of them will get tired, but there is still a bit of time
between now and The Open.
"We
have got seven in the Paddy Power and all of them are very possible runners at
this stage, but it is just a case of assessing things nearer the time.
"Captain
Conan could go, as could Nadiya De La Vega - she ran a very good race last
year. Rajdhani Express is the horse we have always been pointing in that
direction. He has done well over the summer and obviously there is no problem
with jockey arrangements there because Sam (Waley-Cohen) will ride him.
"Finian's
Rainbow would be the very interesting one because he has had a wind operation
and I am very hopeful that he will come back to himself. He ran very well at
Sandown on his final start last season and look what the winner (Sire De Grugy)
did on Saturday - they are calling him the young pretender to Sprinter Sacre
now. Finian's showed there that he is on his way back, but he does need good
ground to be seen at his best."
Jonjo
O'Neill has also won the Paddy Power Gold Cup once as a trainer, courtesy of
Exotic Dancer in 2006. His entry this year is Johns Spirit (10/1), who
warmed up perfectly for the Paddy Power Gold Cup with victory at Cheltenham in
the two and a half-mile Equus-Fine Dining at The Festival Handicap Chase at The
Showcase on October 19.
O'Neill
reported: "Johns Spirit is in good form and the Paddy Power Gold Cup
will hopefully be the next stop for him.
"You
would have to be happy with his performance at Cheltenham last time. I don't
know how strong the race was, but he travelled and jumped well and won nicely.
"It
will probably be a bigger field in the Paddy Power and I don't know if that
will suit him, but Richie McLernon gets a good tune out of him and rides him
well.
"We
will go there hopeful, but that's as confident as you could be because it is
always a very hot race and you have got to have a lot of luck in running."
David
Pipe sent out Great Endeavour to win the 2011 Paddy Power Gold Cup, while his
father Martin trained a record eight winners of the race. There are four
entries from Pond House this year, headed by Dynaste who is the 5/1
favourite with Paddy Power. The seven-year-old demonstrated high-class form in
novice company last season, winning four of his five starts including the Grade
One Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton Park. He was also successful in Grade Two
events at Newbury and Aintree, while he opened his chasing account with a
victory at Cheltenham. His only reversal came at The Festival, when he was
runner-up to Benefficient (12/1) in the Grade Two Jewson Novices' Chase.
Pipe is
also responsible for the 8/1 second favourite Ballynagour, plus Grands
Crus (16/1) and Salut Flo (12/1).
Benefficient
is one of 11 Irish-trained entries, with other leading contenders from the
Emerald Isle including Marito (14/1), one of four entries for Irish
champion trainer Willie Mullins, and Realt Dubh (14/1), one of Noel
Meade's two entries.
Paul
Nicholls enjoyed his first Paddy Power Gold Cup victory in 2012 with Al Ferof
and has six entries to choose from this year headed by Unioniste (14/1),
successful in last season's December Gold Cup at Cheltenham, and Rolling
Aces (12/1), who was a progressive novice last season.
Nigel
Twiston-Davies is the most successful current trainer in the Paddy Power Gold
Cup with three victories and he has made two entries - Astracad (20/1),
who was runner-up to Conquisto (14/1) in the Grade Two Old Roan Chase at
Aintree on October 26 and the useful novice Double Ross (20/1).
Another
local trainer is Martin Keighley and he is likely to bid for the biggest
success of his career so far with Champion Court (12/1), who has
scored twice in Grade Two company at Cheltenham.
Weights
for the Paddy Power Gold Cup will be revealed on Wednesday, November 6. The
maximum field size is 20.
Paddy
Power Gold Cup - Paddy Power Bet:
5/1
Dynaste; 8/1 Ballynagour; 10/1 Rajdhani Express, Captain Conan; Johns Spirit
12/1 Benefficient, Champion Court, Salut Flo, Rolling Aces; 14/1 Unioniste,
Katenko, Colour Squadron, Marito, Finians Rainbow, Realt Dubh, Conquisto,
Triolo DAlene; 16/1 Grands Crus, Hidden Cyclone, Third Intention, Walkon, Fago,
Kid Cassidy, Ulck Du Lin, Nadiya de La Vega, Ma Filleule, Rupert Lamb; 20/1 Tap
Night, Gift Of Dgab, Wishfull Thinking, Battle Group, Terminal, Texas Jack, Astracad,
Easter Meteor, Bury Parade, Double Ross; 25/1 Vino Griego, Carrickboy,
Woolcombe Folly, Colbert Station, Bless The Wings, Sweet My Lord; 33/1
Attaglance, Kumbeshwar, Hectors Choice, Duke of Lucca; 40/1 Tatenen; 50/1 Sean
Airgead
The
Open sees bookmaker Paddy Power renew its long association with the Home of
Jump Racing which started in 2003.
In a
three-year deal announced on October 1, the Irish bookmaker is the title
sponsor of the second day, The Paddy Power Open Saturday. Paddy Power will continue
to sponsor a race on the Friday, the paddypower.com Handicap Chase, and as well
as the feature race on the Saturday, the Grade Three Paddy Power Gold Cup.
The
Paddy Power Gold Cup
Class
1, Grade 3, £160,000 Total Prize Fund. 2.30pm, Cheltenham, Saturday,
November 16, 2013. For 4yo+, two miles about four and a half furlongs. Entries
closed, October 29, entries revealed October 30 (49 entries), weights revealed
November 6. Penalties: after November 3, a winner of a chase 5lb (no penalty to
increase a horse's weight above 11st 12lb). Five-day confirmation stage
November 11, final 48-hour declaration stage 10.00am, November 14. Form figures
supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of
Monday, October 28.
Form
Horse Age Owner Trainer
40F-452
ASTRACAD (FR) 7 Raymond Mould Nigel Twiston-Davies
3330-P2
ATTAGLANCE 7 H Young, G Eifert, R Snyder Malcolm Jefferson
61/0P10-
BALLYNAGOUR (IRE) 7 Allan Stennett David Pipe
F0311-1
BATTLE GROUP 8 Jolly Boys Outing Johnny Farrelly
12411P-
BENEFFICIENT (IRE) 7 A Shiels/Niall Reilly Tony Martin IRE
0/5110P-
BLESS THE WINGS (IRE) 8 Lesley Field Alan King
3/41523-
BURY PARADE (IRE) 7 Highclere Thoroughbred Racing - Bury Parade Paul
Nicholls
2/11151-
CAPTAIN CONAN (FR) 6 Triermore Stud Nicky Henderson
61P16-0
CARRICKBOY (IRE) 9 Trevor Hemmings Venetia Williams
2/24251-
CHAMPION COURT (IRE) 8 Mark Boothright Martin Keighley
5211U-0
COLBERT STATION (IRE) 9 J P McManus Ted Walsh IRE
F2/2425-
COLOUR SQUADRON (IRE) 7 J P McManus Philip Hobbs
2131-21
CONQUISTO 8 P J Martin Steve Gollings
53P-613
DOUBLE ROSS (IRE) 7 Options O Syndicate Nigel Twiston-Davies
20360-6
DUKE OF LUCCA (IRE) 8 Lesley Field Philip Hobbs
0/11121-
DYNASTE (FR) 7 John White David Pipe
31/214-P
EASTER METEOR 7 Mr & Mrs S C Willes Emma Lavelle
521F25-
FAGO (FR) 5 Andrea & Graham Wylie Paul Nicholls
11/4642-
FINIAN'S RAINBOW (IRE) 10 Michael Buckley Nicky Henderson
2U2F/-60
GIFT OF DGAB (IRE) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Tony Martin IRE
14/P3P0-
GRANDS CRUS (FR) 8 Roger Stanley & Yvonne Reynolds III David Pipe
P40060-
HECTOR'S CHOICE (FR) 9 James and Jean Potter Richard Lee
106F-21
HIDDEN CYCLONE (IRE) 8 Mrs A F Mee & David Mee John Hanlon IRE
26033-1
JOHNS SPIRIT (IRE) 6 Christopher W T Johnston Jonjo O'Neill
4/F0211-
KATENKO (FR) 7 A Brooks Venetia Williams
05/4520-
KID CASSIDY (IRE) 7 J P McManus Nicky Henderson
1225F-0
KUMBESHWAR 6 McNeill Family & Nigel Bunter Alan King
122102-
MA FILLEULE (FR) 5 Simon Munir Nicky Henderson
2/113F2-
MARITO (GER) 7 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
3U3P15-
NADIYA DE LA VEGA (FR) 7 J P McManus Nicky Henderson
2F1011-
RAJDHANI EXPRESS 6 Robert Waley-Cohen Nicky Henderson
2/04422-
REALT DUBH (IRE) 9 Des Sharkey Noel Meade IRE
0/43112-
ROLLING ACES (IRE) 7 Paul Barber, Ian Fogg & David Martin Paul
Nicholls
2//421F1-
RUPERT LAMB 7 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
0112//01/-
SALUT FLO (FR) 8 Allan Stennett David Pipe
4-P3120
SEAN AIRGEAD (IRE) 8 Brendan Flynn Mark McNiff IRE
B0S303 SWEET
MY LORD (FR) 7 Aiden Devaney Willie Mullins IRE
141522-
TAP NIGHT (USA) 6 J P McManus Lucinda Russell
U/606F0-
TATENEN (FR) 9 The Stewart Family Richard Rowe
115U-0P
TERMINAL (FR) 6 Favourites Racing Willie Mullins IRE
133120-
TEXAS JACK (IRE) 7 Robert Watson Noel Meade IRE
33262-1
THIRD INTENTION (IRE) 6 Robert and Sarah Tizzard Colin Tizzard
2P301-1
TRIOLO D'ALENE (FR) 6 Mr & Mrs Sandy Orr Nicky Henderson
3/311PU-
ULCK DU LIN (FR) 5 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls
113114-
UNIONISTE (FR) 5 John Hales Paul Nicholls
21125-U
VINO GRIEGO (FR) 8 C E Stedman Gary Moore
22P52-U
WALKON (FR) 8 McNeill Family Alan King
14133-6
WISHFULL THINKING 10 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs
3-22236
WOOLCOMBE FOLLY (IRE) 10 The Hon Mrs Townshend Paul Nicholls
49
entries
11
Irish-trained
About
The Open
The
Open is a prestigious and historic three-day meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse,
which signals that the new Jump season is in full swing. There is record prize
money of £743,000 in 2013, with the feature Paddy Power Gold Cup worth
£160,000.
Staged
on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 15, 16 & 17. The Open is the
second highest-profile meeting at the home of Jump racing, following The
Festival in March and a huge event in its own right.
The
Open provides thrilling competition between many of the best Jump horses in
Europe, with crowds of around 70,000 over the three days.
It is
regarded by many as the biggest and most important meeting of the first half of
the Jump season - a weekend of entertainment, sport and fun not to be missed,
including many trade stands in The Open shopping village.
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