14 declared for Stewart Family Thank You Gold Cup
12th December 2013 - This year's Hennessy Gold Cup form will be under scrutiny when Theatre Guide lines up in the £45,000 Majordomo Hospitality Handicap Chase (2.10pm, 10 runners) over three miles, one and a half furlongs at Cheltenham tomorrow, Friday, December 13, the first day of The International.
The six-year-old went into the Newbury showpiece, run over an extended three and a quarter miles on November 30, with question marks over his stamina, but ran a fine race to finish third behind comfortable winner Triolo D'Alene and Rocky Creek.
Colin Tizzard's charge had previously finished third on his seasonal reappearance in an extended two and a half mile graduation chase at Kempton Park on November 4.
Tizzard reported: "Theatre Guide has come out of his Hennessy run very well. He ran a fantastic race that day and I think he is in the form of his life, so that's why we are running him again.
"The trip was always going to be an issue in the Hennessy and we didn't know he would stay as well as he did. He jumped off last, ran through horses and stayed on very well. It just confirmed that he is a good horse.
"This race will suit him fine and it will give him some more experience of Cheltenham. He has suddenly matured and I think the track will be fine for him."
Theatre Guide faces nine rivals, including Murphy Group Handicap Chase runner-upKnockara Beau, Welsh Grand National hero Monbeg Dude and bet365 Gold Cup victor Quentin Collonges.
The £35,000 Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Handicap Chase (2.40pm) over three miles and seven furlongs has attracted 13 declarations and is the final leg of the Crystal Cup, which brings together a total of 10 races across Europe staged in France, Belgium, Italy, the Czech Republic, Ireland and Great Britain, with combined prize money of almost €700,000.
Devon handler Nick Williams won the Top Trainer for the Crystal Cup in 2012 and is so far ahead in the standings this year that he will bag the prize once again, while his wife Jane is set to be crowned leading owner. The duo are represented tomorrow byShalimar Fromentro, who was last seen out when falling in the penultimate leg of the Crystal Cup, the Grand Steeple Chase Cross-Country de Compiegne in France on November 9, which was won by his stable companion Maljimar.
Three horses have made the trip over from France for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase. Patrice Quinton, who currently lies second in the trainer standings for the Crystal Cup, runs Shalimar Fromentro and Taiga Des Chambres, while Jean Paul Gasnier is represented by Quercy Du Manoir.
Action gets underway tomorrow at 12.30pm with the £20,000 Ryman Stationery Cheltenham Business Club Novices' Chase over two miles and five furlongs in which the Paul Nicholls-trained Wonderful Charm, who is unbeaten in three starts over fences including two Grade Two contests, is set to take on former top-class hurdlerOscar Whisky, who finished runner-up on his chasing debut at The Open on November 15.
A maximum field of 17 goes to post in the £12,000 Caspian Caviar Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase (1.05pm), while 11 line up in the C F Roberts Electrical & Mechanical Services Handicap Hurdle (1.40pm).
Thomas Crapper, trained by Robin Dickin, attempts a Cheltenham treble in the £22,000 Citipost Handicap Hurdle (3.15pm, 11 declarations), having scored at both The Showcase and The Open already this season.
Friday's action concludes with the £12,000 British Stallion Studs EBF National Hunt Novices' Hurdle (3.45pm, nine declarations).
Going News
The going remains Good on the Chase and Hurdle courses after a watering programme was completed.
A lack of rain at Cheltenham Racecourse has meant some watering was necessary to maintain good going on the Chase and Hurdle courses.
The Cross Country course is Good, Good to Firm in places after a separate watering initiative.
Simon Claisse, Head of Racing and Clerk of the Course at Cheltenham Racecourse, commented: "We are committed to maintaining good going on the Chase and Hurdle courses and, without much rain, have watered twice and selectively over the last few weeks to achieve that.
"There is rain forecast tomorrow (Friday) and we are expecting between three and five millimetres."
The International is truly international
Over the last year, the team at Cheltenham Racecourse have been proactively working with French trainers and owners to encourage them to run their horses at the Home of Jump Racing. The team went to France, meeting lots of trainers and jockeys from different training establishments, including visiting Maisons-Laffitte and Sennones-Pouance. They were also at Craon to see Balthazar King win the Grand Cross Country De Craon for the Philip Hobbs yard.
Simon Claisse, Head of Racing and Clerk of the Course at Cheltenham, commented: "I am really thrilled to see that there have been six horses entered to race at Cheltenham this weekend. Encouraging French owners and trainers to bring their horses over to race at Cheltenham is something that we have been working on for a while so it is great to see the hard work pay off. This year's International is truly international!"
14 declared for Stewart Family Thank You Gold Cup
Paddy Power Gold Cup hero Johns Spirit heads a field of 14 for the £100,000 Grade Three Stewart Family Thank You Gold Cup, run over two miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham on Saturday, December 14.
The Jonjo O'Neill-trained six-year-old will be bidding to become the fourth horse to complete the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Stewart Family Thank You Gold Cup double in the same season, following Exotic Dancer (2006), Senor El Betrutti (1997) and Pegwell Bay (1988).
His rivals include Colour Squadron and Attaglance, who finished second and fourth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, unexposed second-season chaser Grandioso and Salut Flo, who has not been seen since landing the Byrne Group Plate by six lengths at The Festival in 2012.
Stewart Family Thank You Gold Cup
Class 1, Grade 3, £100,000 Total Prize Fund. 2.25pm, Cheltenham, Saturday, December 14, 2013. For 4yo+, 2m 5f. Penalties: after December 1, a winner of a chase 5lb (no penalty to increase a horse's weight above 11st 12lb). Entries closed November 26, entries revealed November 27 (35 entries), weights revealed December 4. Five-day confirmation stage December 9 (18 confirmations), final 48-hour declaration stage 10am, December 12 ( 14 declarations). Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing on Wednesday, December 11.
Form Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer/Jockey
24251-0 CHAMPION COURT (IRE) 8-12-04 Mark Boothright Martin Keighley/Ian Popham
6/U-0426 GAUVAIN (GER) 11-11-12 The Spoofers Philip Hobbs/Richard Johnson
2110-01 CANTLOW (IRE) 8-11-09 J P McManus Paul Webber/Robert Thornton
14-P0F2 EASTER METEOR 7-11-09 Mr & Mrs S C Willes Emma Lavelle/Aidan Coleman
6033-11 JOHNS SPIRIT (IRE) 6-11-09 Christopher Johnston Jonjo O'Neill/Richie McLernon
51211-3 GRANDIOSO (IRE) 6-11-08 Andrea & Graham Wylie Paul Nicholls/Daryl Jacob
2/2425-2 COLOUR SQUADRON (IRE) 7-11-07 J P McManus Philip Hobbs/A P McCoy
1522-20 TAP NIGHT (USA) 6-11-06 J P McManus Lucinda Russell/Peter Buchanan
0112//01/ SALUT FLO (FR) 8-11-05 Allan Stennett David Pipe/Tom Scudamore
23100-1 SILVER ROQUE (FR) 7-11-04 Lord Vestey Fergal O'Brien/Paddy Brennan
22102-3 MA FILLEULE (FR) 5-11-03 Simon Munir Nicky Henderson/Barry Geraghty
330-P24 ATTAGLANCE 7-10-12 H Young, G Eifert, R Snyder Malcolm Jefferson/Brian Hughes
3P-6132 DOUBLE ROSS (IRE) 7-10-08 Options O Syndicate Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies
614-232 SEW ON TARGET (IRE) 8-10-05 A Selway Colin Tizzard/Brendan Powell
14 declarations
About The International
The International takes place at Cheltenham on Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14, offering more than £520,000 in prize money over the two days.
Key races include the £130,000 Grade Two StanJames.com International, a leading trial for the Stan James Champion Hurdle at The Festival, the £100,000 Grade Three Stewart Family Thank You Gold Cup, the £45,000 Grade Three Majordomo Hospitality Handicap Chase and the £40,000 Grade Two Osborne House Relkeel Hurdle.
The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase also takes place over Cheltenham's unique Cross Country Course and completes Europe's Crystal Cup Challenge.
About Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Racecourse is situated in Prestbury on the outskirts of the historic spa town of Cheltenham. The Home of Jump Racing, Cheltenham Racecourse is the venue for the world's pre-eminent Jump Racing meeting, The Festival, which takes place in March every year. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cotswolds, Cheltenham Racecourse is a stunning natural amphitheatre and offers the highest-quality action throughout the Jump season.
Please find more details at www.cheltenham.co.uk and through Twitter (@CheltenhamRaces) and Facebook www.facebook.com/thehomeofjumpracing
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