Conduct (8-1) overcame a wide draw to win the November Handicap by five lengths on Saturday, ensuring that we ended the flat turf season on a winning note. Cheltenham’s Open meeting should get the pulse racing this weekend and the Paddy Power Gold Cup has attracted a good quality entry of 28.
Not for the first time, David Pipe is deliberating long and hard before committing Dynaste to this race. It is very much a case of Grands Cru revisited. Dynaste looked the best three-mile novice in training last season but was diverted to the two and a half miler at the festival at the last moment. He was beaten there but returned to his brilliant best at Aintree. He has the potential to make up into a Gold Cup contender this year so you cannot blame Pipe for being cautious. Likewise, I wouldn’t risk a penny on him until he is declared a definite runner.
Nicky Henderson has three entries with Finian’s Rainbow, Rajdhani Express and Nadiya De La Vega. The first two look to have a tough task at the weights on their seasonal debuts but Nadiya De La Vega is actually 5lbs lower than when third here a year ago. The seven-year-olds form is a bit in and out and has not been the safest conveyance in the past.
One of the best backed horses is Jonjo O’Neill’s Johns Spirit, an easy winner here at the last meeting. Whilst he looked a good bet at 14-1, he makes less appeal at a miserly 6-1 when you consider that he has been raised 10lbs and this is a much tougher race. Martin Keighley’s Champion Court has run well here in the past, notably when second to Sir Des Champs at the festival in 2012. The trainer reports him to be in great shape and admits that he has targeted this race for some time.
There are question marks about Salut Flo, Ballynagour and Katenko. Salut Flo has not raced since winning at the festival in 2012, Ballynagour has two ways of running and Katenko would probably like it softer. The latter also has to contend with a lengthy absence. Irish raiders are rare in this race but Hidden Cyclone and Texas Jack could be interesting at long odds. Texas Jack was up with the best staying novices last season and Hidden Cyclone is reportedly on course for a big run.
One horse that looks overpriced is Alan King’s Kumbeshwar at 40-1. He was staying on strongly behind Somersby at Exeter and Wayne Hutchinson is booked for Saturday. He is a tentative each-way selection at this stage and we’ll take another look when the final declarations are made.
Kumbeshwar (each-way) 40-1 Ladbrokes, Coral
