Trainer George Charlton is hoping that Knockara Beau can
gain a deserved first success at Cheltenham in the £45,000 Grade Three
Majordomo Hospitality Handicap Chase (2.10pm), highlight of the first day of
The International on Friday, December 13.
The
10-year-old has yet to score in 14 visits to the Home of Jump Racing but has
finished second four times, including when going down by two lengths to Alvarado
in the Grade Three Murphy Group Handicap Chase at The Open on November 16.
Knockara
Beau was sixth in the 2012 Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup, fourth in both the
Pertemps Final in 2011 and the RSA Chase in 2010, and fifth in the Neptune
Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at The Festival in 2009.
His
fine record at Cheltenham also includes a third in the Grade Two Argento Chase
in 2012 and a second in the Grade Two Rewards4Racing Cleeve Hurdle in 2011.
Charlton, who
trains in Northumberland, reported: "Knockara Beau is set to run at
Cheltenham on Friday. I was pleased with his second at The Open because it
showed that he is in very good health, but I was also a little bit disappointed
that he made one mistake four fences from home.
"It
happened at the wrong time in the race and it knocked about six lengths out of
him. He ran on well up the hill and would have probably been in front soon
after the line.
"He
has been at Cheltenham quite a few times without winning but we will keep
chipping away with him.
"We
have thought about going for the Gold Cup with him again this year. He would be
an outsider but it's a long way until March and you don't know what the
opposition will be.
"The
Gold Cup is a fantastic race and, if you finish fifth or sixth, it is better
money than winning a couple of races at Newcastle."
A total
of 15 entries for the Majordomo Hospitality Handicap Chase includes Welsh
National hero Monbeg Dude, bet365 Gold Cup winner Quentin Collonges
and Unioniste, who captured the Stewart Family Thank You Gold Cup at The
International last year and took a Listed chase at Aintree this afternoon.
Hennessy Gold Cup third Theatre Guide and Crabbie's Grand National
runner-up Cappa Bleu could also line in the extended three mile, one
furlong contest.
Day One
of The International also features the £35,000 Glenfarclas Cross Country
Handicap Chase (2.40pm), run over three miles and seven furlongs of
Cheltenham's cross country course and the final leg of the 2013 Crystal Cup.
Festival winner Chicago Grey and cross-country specialist Shalimar
Fromentro feature among 15 contenders, while the four French-trained
entries are three from the stable of Patrice Quinton - Pasquini Rouge, Taiga
des Chambres and Taupin Rochelais - and the Jean-Paul
Gasnier-trained Quercy Du Manoir.
Following
victories at The Showcase and The Open, Thomas Crapper may bid for a
third successive Cheltenham win in the £22,000 Citipost Handicap Hurdle
(3.15pm, 23 entries). Return Spring, Salubrious and Southfield
Theatre, who were separated by a short-head and a nose in the Listed Ultima
Business Solutions Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, could re-oppose in
the three-mile race.
A
seven-race card also includes the £12,000 Caspian Caviar Conditional Jockeys'
Handicap Hurdle (1.05pm, 25 entries), the £12,000 CF Roberts Electrical +
Mechanical Services Handicap Hurdle (1.40pm, 29 entries) and the £12,000
British Stallion Studs EBF National Hunt Novices' Hurdle (3.45pm, 21 entries).
The
opening £20,000 Ryman Stationery Cheltenham Business Club Novices' Chase
(12.30pm) has reopened until 11am on Monday, December 9.
Ground
The
going at Cheltenham is currently Good on all three courses, with an
outlook of cloudy but dry weather.
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