Last weekend’s Betfair Chase did not quite go to plan with Cue Card holding off Dynaste and Silviniaco Conti. All credit to anyone who kept faith in Cue Card but I just could not see him keeping up the gallop over the three mile and one furlong trip. His only previous effort had ended with a leg-weary fifth in the King George but the going was very testing that day.
It could be argued that he had improved for his seasonal debut when a disappointing third behind Somersby at Exeter. I noted Kumbeshwar running on to finish under a length down on Cue Card that day but he ran like a hairy goat in the Paddy Power Gold Cup! I can only assume that Cue Card improved a stone between Exeter and Haydock.
As far as the Cheltenham Gold Cup goes, I’d still back the second and third to beat Cue Card. Both will be entitled to improve a few pounds and won’t be unduly concerned if the going turns soft. In the more immediate future, the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday has attracted 23 runners at the five-day stage.
The weights are set to rise by about a stone following the withdrawal of Tidal Bay. The Hennessy has become something of a Gold Cup trial in recent seasons but it is hard to imagine there being too many clues this year. The top weight Cape Tribulation is rated 22lbs inferior to Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth so it is going to take a spectacular performance to earn a quote for the festival’s biggest prize.
There are some promising second season chasers here, notably Invictus who is bidding to overcome an absence of almost 20 months. I’m surprised to see him at the head of the market, even if he did count Bobs Worth among his victims in the Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot. It will be hats off to Alan King if he can get him fit enough to win this first time out.
Rocky Creek has also been well supported but I’ve been slightly disappointed with some of the Nicholls horses this season. He has acknowledged that they are needing a run to put them straight and Rocky Creek has always been workmanlike rather than spectacular. I much prefer the claims of Hadrian’s Approach who almost upset Unioniste here last season.
He recovered from a bad mistake to finish with a flourish that day, suggesting that a big prize would come his way before too long. He has continued to throw in the odd costly mistake and did so again at Kempton on his return. The bare form of that run is nothing to get excited about but it should have put him spot on. I remember a horse called Arctic Call winning this and he was prone to the odd blunder. More often than not, you can get away with them at Newbury and he looks a decent bet at 11-1.
After David Pipe’s recent successes, I’m respectful of the grey Our Father who seems to run his best races when fresh. It may be a shrewd move by Pipe to go straight for a big prize with this one. Jonjo O’Neill is never one to disclose his plans but it seems that Merry King has been aimed at this race. He ran well at Ascot when second to Houblon Des Obeaux and has a big pull in the weights. So too does the third horse Triolo D’Alene, the second string of Nicky Henderson. He looks far too big at 25-1 2ith Betfair.
Hadrian’s Approach 11-1 888Sport
Triolo D’Alene 25-1 Betfair
