Hennessy Gold Cup Chase (Handicap) Grade 3 (CLASS 1)

26/11/11 Newbury Racecourse 3 miles 2 Furlongs

   

The Hennessy Gold Cup is a grade 3 class one handicap chase for horses of 4 years and older.

The Hennessy Gold Cup is a handicap chase run at Newbury racecourse each November. It has been run since 1957 and in all that time it has has continued sponsorship from the same company "Hennessy".

This is a race is an early season target for young horses on the way to better things. Won in the past twice by Gold Cup winner Denman and also Burrough Hill Lad. Many good horses have won this with the likes of Suny Bay, One Man and more recently Teeton Mill.

The race is very much one for up and coming horses with no winner older than 10 since Diamond Edge won in 1981.
Dual winners are also very rare, with Denman in 2007 and 2009 being in very good company with the only other twice winner the greatest national hunt racehorse ever to have lived "ARKLE" in 1964 and 1965.

 

Early Entries for the race look interesting this year with the smart Aiteen Thirtythree being the first string for twice winning jockey and three times winning trainer Paul Nicholls, and if Neptune Collonges stays in the race as top weight Aiteen Thirtythree gets in with only 10st 10lbs to carry.
The young progressive Wymott who's only blot on his book was his pulled up in the RSA chase last year. Michel Le Bon is the Nicholls second string and again is another progressive lightly raced 8 year old. Great Endeavor represents the Pipe yard another yard with three wins under their belt.

This currently looks a very competitive affair with little between the main antagonists and should be a very important pointer to future races.

 

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List of Runners

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Race Preview

Neptune Collonges

Top class staying chaser from the powerful Paul Nicholls yard. Showed his potential in 2007 when he won the grade 1 PUNCHESTOWN GUINNESS GOLD CUP. Had a good following season when a great 3rd to Denman in the Cheltenham Gold Cup before the climax of his season by winning the PUNCHESTOWN GUINNESS GOLD CUP for a second time.
Looked really good when winning the Leopardstown HENNESSY COGNAC GOLD CUP beating the Welsh National winner Notre Pere by 5 lengths.
Has run 4 times in the Gold Cup 2007 (8th) 2008 (3rd) 2009 (4th) 2010 (8th).
With all that form you can see why he is the top rated horse here and has to carry top weight. Stable jockey Ruby Walsh is riding another for the stable Aiteen Thirtythree who would have to carry 10lbs more if this horse did not run so it is difficult to get away from that, also there has been moves for another of the stables horses Michel Le Bon who is even lower in the weights. With all that said the horse is top class and is good enough to win this and would be a likely candidate from level weights but in this competitive handicap there are other with more appeal.

Planet Of Sound

Really good 9 year old chaser this and winner of last seasons PUNCHESTOWN GUINNESS GOLD CUP beating the smart War Of Attrition into second and also had Denman in behind. 3rd in the 2009 Arkle at the Cheltenham festival but disappointing in the Ryanair last season. 5th in last seasons WILLIAM HILL KING GEORGE VI CHASE and was not seen after this race. He had breathing problems and has been treated for this therefore if back to best could have a great chance. He runs well here with 3 of his 6 wins coming at this track and only other run a second. May be susceptible to horses lower in the handicap but 5 of the last 6 winners have been higher in the handicap and carried more than 11st proving that horses with good class do well.
The running of Neptune Collonges keeps him with 10lbs less than if he was not entered so this may backfire on the Nicholls team.

Sarando

A young rising star who shot into view when 2nd in last seasons Grade 2 JOHN SMITH'S MILDMAY NOVICES' CHASE. 11 length winner of the BETFAIR GRADUATION CHASE on his last run. Significant rise in class now but this horse really could be anything.

Aiteen Thirtythree

The first string of the three Paul Nicholls runners. A young horse on the upgrade who is unbeaten at this course over fences. An ex pointer who has a good strike rate with 8 win and places in his 9 runs. A good horse who has to improve again to win this, but that is possible and is well thought of by connections.

Blazing Bailey

A good horse but he is well exposed now. Blazing Bailey now looks like he needs a little further than this. Needs plenty of cut to show his best and there are others with more appeal.

Great Endeavour

Good horse , second to Poquelin in a grade 3 at this course and that was the highlight of last season. Winner of the Grade 3 BYRNE GROUP PLATE at the festival 2010. Impressive winner of the PADDY POWER GOLD CUP CHASE last time out (12/11/11) over two and a half miles. Although a point-to-point winner (3M) has not looked so good at this distance.

Beshabar

An interesting runner who looks to be good at more extreme distances. Winner of last years Scottish National. Has won over 3 miles but in races where the pace is likely to be slower than we should see today.

Wayward Prince

Ex pointer who was a really good hurdler who won the grade 1 JOHN SMITH'S SEFTON NOVICES' HURDLE at Aintree before turning to the larger obstacles. Has made a good transition to chasing Progressing with every race. 3rd in the RSA at Cheltenham and then 4th in the JOHN SMITH'S MILDMAY NOVICES' CHASE (Serando 2nd).
Young and progressive one not to leave out of any reckoning.

Carruthers

Smart, well thought of horse who has been running well in big races for a few seasons now. 2nd in the grade 1 TOTESPORT BOWL CHASE at Aintree in 2010 after a good 4th in the Gold Cup. Only 9th 60 lengths behind the winner last seasons Gold Cup and dispite some good runs it is a worry that he has not won for almost two years. All that said should run well if back to best following a reasonable first run earlier in the month.

Muirhead

Nice 8 year old bay gelding who has been running well at distances below this despite winning over 3 miles at Limerick two runs ago. That was a very slowly run affair and was on soft ground and perhaps is not representative of his form. This will be more of a test and will be run at a much livelier pace. Looks to have plenty on here.

Michel Le Bon

A very interesting runner from Paul Nichols who has been well supported in the run up to this race. An impressive 60 length winner of a novice chase on his first outing over fences last time out (4 ran 2 finished). Must be going well at home but stable jockey Ruby Walsh chose Aiteen Thirtythree in preference over this one but the choice may have been close. Progressive but something of an unknown quantity here today.

The Giant Bolster

A good horse but makes plenty of mistakes. Fell or unseated in 4 of his last 6 runs. Given a clear run could make the frame but difficult to support until he puts a few good runs under his belt.

Wymott

Good hurdler who made a good transition over timber last season winning three chases before putting in a very poor run in the RSA chase at the festival (PU after making mistakes).
Nice sort who could be anything and another one who will need to improve but this is often a race won by such a horse.

Fair Along

Good hurdler but although he mixes up his chase and hurdle runs he has not shown to be as good a chaser as he is a hurdler.
From the strong Philip Hobbs yard he is the second string to Planet of Sound. Good jockey in Nina Carberry who I'm sure will get the best from the horse but he still looks to have plenty to do to take part in the finish of this race.

Balthazar King

Philip Hobbs third entry in the race. A good horse who has won 50% of his chases but his form is below this standard. He will be running from 1lb out of the handicap today and there are others with more appeal.

Tullamore Dew

Lightly raced 9 year old. Third at the festival behind Divers and Quantitativeeasing in the CENTENARY NOVICES' HANDICAP CHASE. Fell last time out in the The Paddy Power Gold Cup. Running from out of the handicap and therefore has plenty to do.

Billie Magern

Good novice chaser who was found wanting in better events at the end of last season, that said shaped up well last month at cheltenham over 2m4f. Ran well from 5lbs out of the handicap in the Paddy Power (5th) so who knows that form says he could make the frame although 4lbs out of the handicap here.

Qhilimar

Reasonable chaser who would have to improve considerably to take part in this unless the ground turns of very soft as that would increase his chances considerably.

 

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Result of the Race

1	6649-3	Carruthers	8	10-04	Mark Bradstock
2	433-1	Joncol	8	11-06	Paul Nolan	Barry Geraghty
2	01/35-	Planet Of Sound	9	11-02	Philip Hobbs
3	34-U26	Fair Along	9	10-00	Philip Hobbs
4	62F6-1	Great Endeavour	7	10-9	David Pipe	Timmy Murphy
5	B121-	Beshabar	9	10-8	Tim Vaughan
6	111P-	Wymott	7	10-2	Donald McCain
7	1UF-4U	The Giant Bolster	6	10-4	David Bridgwater	Tom Scudamore
8	6119P-	Blazing Bailey	9	10-9	Alan King
9	123-5F	Tullamore Dew	9	09-12	Nick Gifford
10	31311/	Michel Le Bon	8	10-4	Paul Nicholls	Noel Fehily
11	111P-2	Aiteen Thirtythree	7	10-10	Paul Nicholls	R Walsh
12	1P-15P	Balthazar King	7	9-13	Philip Hobbs
13	631418	Muirhead	8	10-4	Noel Meade
14	P1R-12	Qhilimar	7	09-9	Charlie Longsdon
F	12F2-1	Sarando	6	10-11	Paul Webber	Will Kennedy
PU	B0186-	Neptune Collonges	10	11-12	Paul Nicholls	Harry Derham
PU	11134-	Wayward Prince	7	10-8	Ian Williams	Dougie Costello
PU	028-15	Billie Magern	7	09-11	Nigel Twiston-Davies	Sam Twiston-Davies

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