The Paddy Power Gold Cup – 2:25 Cheltenham,  Saturday 14th November 2015

Grade 3 Class 1 Handicap

2 miles 4 furlong 78 yards

Twenty runners will line up for the annual running of The Paddy Power Gold Cup which offers a very lucrative prize to the winner in excess £91,000. With a total prize purse of £160,000.

Run on the ‘old ‘ course at Cheltenham field will go left-handed around the course ending at that most famous of finishes at the top of the hill.

This race was first run in 1960 when it was originally sponsored by Mackeson’s until 1995. The race had other sponsors since, Murphy’s and Thomas Pink. It was taken over by Irish based bookmakers Paddy Power in 2003 the Nicky Henderson trained Fondmort.

The most successful trainer has been Martin Pipe with eight wins. Most recent successful trainers are Paul Nicholls Jonjo O’Neill , Nigel Twiston Davies and the Pipe yard all with two wins.

Current ground description – Good/soft, good in places.

WHERE’S THE WINNER ?

• Winners will be ideally rated below 150. Al Ferof being the only one recently to win rated 159.
• Seven year olds have a good record in this race. Six years also. Caid Du Berlais was only five when winning last year.
• Of course form is always important in any event at Cheltenham and there’s plenty of that on offer here.
• Only two winners in the last eight years have been double digits or above.
• A good run last time is also important. Horses making their return should also be considered.
• If this race was based on class Kings Palace would have all lights flashing. It’s not, it’s a grade three handicap that will be a dash for the cash!
• Kings Palace may be better suited with a tilt at the King George VI ?
• Having an official rating of 150 or below rules out plenty of the field and I’m happy to work with this rules out Irish Cavallier.
• If we now look for Cheltenham wins we can remove Monetaire, Benny’s Mist and Shanpallas who I’m not happy to disregard yet.
• Working in this bottom half of the field we then look at last time runs we can eliminate Next Sensation, Splash of Ginge, Annacotty and Generous Ransom.
• There are others in there who did not perform well last time out but not prepared to rule those out yet.

WHO DOES THIS LEAVE ?

• Cloud Creeper – could give a good account looks weighted to the top and currently priced 33/1 and looks like an also ran.
• Buywise – can’t be ruled out only on price. Currently 14/1
• Darna really impressed when winning back March and its guess work as to if he’s improved. Stable in form . Has won twice after a break.
• Buywise – Others appear better. Still an each way option
• Present View if you ignore his last run then has plenty going for him including being rated one pound lower(three in total) than when finishing behind Caid Du Berlais last year and has a genuine liking for course and distance.
• Shanpallas recent runs have not gone right but the prescence of Barry Geraghty and the form of J P McManus trained horses at Cheltenham today (Friday) plus the fact Shanapallas ran well in this last year make him interesting.
• Art Mauresque the youngest of all who won well here 33 days ago over course and distance and remains unexposed. With an earlier third behind Irish Cavallier at the back end of last year. This Paul
• Nicholls trained gelding is the pick to emulate what Caid Du Berlais did last season, win!

CONCLUSION

To summarise ART MAURESQUE is the pick with the very useful Sean Bowen booked to ride a liking for good/soft ground. PRESENT VIEW can place again. Will get first time blinkers and has a liking for it here, each way..

With Shanpallas and Darna the other each way options. May the best horse win!