11th
November 2013 - Finian's Rainbow (11st 12lb)heads the 28 five-day
acceptors for the £160,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup (2.30pm) over an extended two
and a half miles, the highlight of The Open on Saturday, November 16.
The
10-year-old, who won the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2012, is one of three
remaining entries for champion trainer Nicky Henderson. The Lambourn handler
could also run Rajdhani Express (11st 4lb), winner of the Rewards4Racing
Novices' Handicap Chase at The Festival, and last year's third Nadiya De La
Vega (10st 3lb).
Dynaste
(11st 8lb), the 5/1 favourite with the sponsor, won four of his
five starts over fences last season and is one of three possible runners for
David Pipe. He could be joined by the Allan Stennett-owned pair of Salut Flo
(10st 7lb) and Ballynagour (10st 6lb).
The
three Irish-trained entries are headed by the Shark Hanlon's Hidden Cyclone (10st
1lb), who made a pleasing return to action with a two-length success in a two
and a half mile chase at Listowel on September 20.
He won
three of his first four starts over fences, with his only defeat coming at the
hands of Sir Des Champs in a Grade Two contest at Leopardstown in January,
2012, but failed to live up to expectations last season.
Hanlon
reported: "Hidden Cyclone definitely runs in the Paddy Power Gold Cup. His
preparation is going well and he will do one more bit of work tomorrow.
"He
had a racecourse gallop at Fairyhouse and that all went to plan, so we are
happy with him.
"I
was very happy with his run at Listowel. A lot of my horses were very sick last
year, but I think they are over that now because I have a lot of
point-to-pointers and they are winning every week, so I think they are back to
form.
"It
looks like it is going to be a very good race with tough opposition, but we
will have a go.
"I
don't have any concerns about his jumping. In my opinion, they don't go fast
enough for him and obviously that won't happen in Cheltenham. The faster they
go, the better he will jump.
"The
uphill finish at Cheltenham will suit and hopefully he is on a nice mark, so we
will see how he gets on."
Jonjo
O'Neill is likely to be represented by Johns Spirit (10st 2lb), who
scored impressively at The Showcase last month, while fellow course scorers Champion
Court (11st 6lb), trained by Martin Keighley, and the Venetia
Williams-trained Katenko (11st 6lb) are also intended runners.
Other
notables include last year's runner up Walkon (11st), trained by Alan
King, and Old Roan Chase one-two Conquisto (11st 3lb) and Astracad (10st
5lb) from the stables of Steve Gollings and Nigel Twiston-Davies respectively.
Latest
betting from Paddy Power: 5/1 Dynaste; 6/1 Johns Spirit; 10/1
Rajdhani Express, Champion Court, Ballynagour; 12/1 Colour Squadron, Katenko,
Hidden Cyclone, Salut Flo; 14/1 Battle Group, Finian's Rainbow, Conquisto; 16/1
bar
Get Me
Out Of Here (11st 10lb) and Scottish Champion Hurdle hero Court Minstrel
(11st 10lb) head 20 confirmations for £100,000 StanJames.com Greatwood Hurdle
(3.15pm) over an extended two miles, the highlight on the third and final day
of The Open, Sunday, November 17.
Last
year's runner-up Cash And Go (11st 2lb), trained by Nicky Henderson, is
the 5/1 favourite with Stan James. He could be joined by stablemate Rolling
Star (11st 4lb), who disappointed when favourite for the JCB Triumph
Hurdle, finishing seventh.
Other
notable contenders include the John Ferguson-trained Pine Creek (10st
12lb), winner of a Listed handicap hurdle at Ascot on November 2, Triumph
Hurdle third Sametegal (11st 5lb) and the Irish-trained pair of Flaxen
Flare (11st 2lb) and Thomas Edison (10st 13lb), trained by Gordon
Elliott and Tony Martin respectively.
Saturday's
card gets underway at 12.40pm with £30,000 Grade Two JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial
(13 entries) over an extended two miles, which is set to feature a number of
exciting juveniles. Paul Nicholls landed the race last year with Far West and
could be represented by French import Art Mauresque, while Nicky
Henderson has entered Wetherby Listed scorer Royal Irish Hussar.
Welsh
National hero Monbeg Dude could bid for a repeat victory in the £50,000
Grade Three Murphy Group Handicap Chase (1.50pm, 24 entries) over just short of
three and a half miles, while impressive Persian War Novices' Hurdle scorer Times
Remembered is among 17 entries for the £30,000 Grade Two Neptune Investment
Management Novices' Hurdle (3.35pm) over two miles and five furlongs.
The
undercard on Sunday features the £30,000 Grade Two Skybet Supreme Novices'
Hurdle Trial (1.35pm, 13 entries), in which the Paul Nicholls-trained Lac
Fontana could bid to follow up his recent course and distance victory. Also
among the entries is Grade One-winning bumper performer The Liquidator,
six-time hurdle scorer Sea Lord and Nicky Henderson's West Wizard.
All
eyes will be on Sire De Grugy in the £70,000 Listed Shloer Chase
(2.40pm, 12 entries) after his facile victory at Chepstow in October. Gary
Moore's seven-year-old could meet Finian's Rainbow, last year's winner Wishfull
Thinking, trained by Philip Hobbs, and previous Festival scorer Oiseau
de Nuit.
Latest
betting from Stan James: 5/1 Cash And Go; 8/1 Pine Creek; 10/1
Kashmir Peak, Sametegal; 12/1 Rolling Star, Thomas Edison; 14/1 Court Minstrel,
Flaxen Flare, L'Unique; 16/1 Ifandbutwhynot, Tanerko Emery; 20/1 Kalann; 22/1
Get Me Out Of Here, Dell' Arca 25/1 bar
Ground
The going at Cheltenham is currently Good to Soft,
Good in Places on the Chase and Hurdle courses, and Good
on the Cross Country course.
The forecast is for rain tonight, with predominantly dry
conditions expected for the rest of the week.
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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