Cheltenham Gold Cup Entries Released

As promised in my previous thread, here we go with the first entries for Cheltenham!

Press Release:

LONG RUN AND KAUTO STAR HEAD 34 ENTRIES FOR 2012 BETFRED CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP

- CHINA ROCK ON COMEBACK TRAIL FOLLOWING STEM CELL TREATMENT​

The £500,000 Grade One Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup is the highlight of The Festival and the 2012 renewal, which takes place on Friday, March 16, has attracted 34 entries.

Last year’s renewal of chasing’s Blue Riband is a race that will live long in the memory as the Nicky Henderson-trained Long Run came home seven lengths clear under amateur Sam Waley-Cohen of previous winners Denman and Kauto Star. Kauto Star subsequently disappointed at Punchestown and was written off by some but has proved this season that he is right back to his very best, getting the better of Long Run in both the Betfair Chase and the William Hill King George VI Chase, which he won for a record fifth time. If successful, Kauto Star would become only the third 12-year-old to succeed and the first since What A Myth in 1969. Kauto Star’s trainer Paul Nicholls, who has four other entries, would join Tom Dreaper as the most successful trainer in the race’s history with five victories if he were to saddle the winner in 2012.

Several progressive younger performers are engaged such as 2011 Arkle Trophy Chase winner Captain Chris, Weird Al, Diamond Harry, Bostons Angel, Synchronised and Jessies Dream, while perhaps the most intriguing entry of all is Grands Crus, who could attempt to become the first novice to prevail since Captain Christy in 1974.

The last Irish-trained winner of the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup was War Of Attrition in 2006 and there are eight contenders from Ireland in the 2012 race. War Of Attrition was trained by Mouse Morris and the Fethard handler could be represented this year by China Rock. The nine-year-old led for much of the race in last year’s Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup before being pulled up before the second last but is now on the comeback trail following stem cell treatment.

Morris revealed: “China Rock is running over hurdles at Punchestown on Saturday and we hope that he can head to Cheltenham once again as he was in the process of running a big race before breaking down in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup last year.

“He had stem cell treatment, like War Of Attrition received, afterwards and has been back in training quite a while now.

“The ground is important to him as he wants a decent surface. Obviously, every day is a bonus when a horse comes back from a tendon injury like his but he’s going well and the plan is to head to Cheltenham.”

This media pack contains the entries, detailed statistics and past results for the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup plus other interesting statistics surrounding The Festival.

 

THE BETFRED CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP​

Class 1, Grade 1, £500,000 Total Prize Fund. 3.20pm, Cheltenham, Friday, March 16, 2012. Three miles, two and a half furlongs. For 5yo+ which are allotted a rating of 130 or more by the BHA Head of Handicapping following a review of the horses entered and after taking account of races run up to and including March 9 - horses which are not qualified for a rating in GB, IRE or FR may also be entered & such horses may be eligible providing the Handicapper is satisfied that the horse’s racecourse performances up to and including March 9 would merit a minimum rating of 130 (the decision of the BHA Head of Handicapping shall be final). Weights: 5yo 11st 9lb, 6yo+ 11st 10lb. Allowances: mares 7lb. Entries closed January 10, entries revealed January 11 (34 entries), scratchings deadline February 14, £25,000 supplementary entry stage & six-day confirmation stage March 10 Final 48-hour declaration stage, 10.00am, March 14. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, January 9.


Form Horse Age Owner Trainer

4FP12-1 ALBERTAS RUN (IRE) 11 Trevor Hemmings Jonjo O'Neill
52-FU11 APT APPROACH (IRE) 9 Greenstar Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
4111-U3 BOSTONS ANGEL (IRE) 8 Elder Scouller Jessica Harrington IRE
11121/2- BURTON PORT (IRE) 8 Trevor Hemmings Nicky Henderson
211-1U3 CAPTAIN CHRIS (IRE) 8 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs
640-31P CARRUTHERS 9 The Oaksey Partnership Mark Bradstock
2/1134P- CHINA ROCK (IRE) 9 Michael O'Flynn Mouse Morris IRE
311P/1-4 DIAMOND HARRY 9 Paul Duffy Diamond Partnership Nick Williams
11121-1 FINIAN'S RAINBOW (IRE) 9 Michael Buckley Nicky Henderson
22-6111 GRANDS CRUS (FR) 7 Roger Stanley & Yvonne Reynolds III David Pipe
03215U HALLEY (FR) 5 PJL Racing & Tom George Tom George
40P-41F HEY BIG SPENDER (IRE) 9 Brocade Racing Colin Tizzard
30/1122- JESSIES DREAM (IRE) 9 David Johnson Gordon Elliott IRE
131/321- JUNIOR 9 Middleham Park Racing LI David Pipe
133-P11 KAUTO STAR (FR) 12 Clive Smith Paul Nicholls
145-026 KNOCKARA BEAU (IRE) 9 Bill Trueman George Charlton
16/1155- LITTLE JOSH (IRE) 10 Tony Bloom Nigel Twiston-Davies
3/311-22 LONG RUN (FR) 7 Robert Waley-Cohen Nicky Henderson
51124-0 MAGNANIMITY (IRE) 8 Gigginstown House Stud Dessie Hughes IRE
142-132 MEDERMIT (FR) 8 The Dunkley & Reilly Partnership Alan King
1115-F3 MIDNIGHT CHASE 10 Lady Clarke Neil Mulholland
463F/-52 MON MOME (FR) 12 Vida Bingham Venetia Williams
5141-5U POQUELIN (FR) 9 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls
1FF-F11 QUEL ESPRIT (FR) 8 Red Barn Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
111-113 QUITO DE LA ROQUE (FR) 8 Gigginstown House Stud Colm Murphy IRE
13-P031 SYNCHRONISED (IRE) 9 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
UF-4U02 THE GIANT BOLSTER 7 Simon Hunt David Bridgwater
3/216-B4 THE MIDNIGHT CLUB (IRE) 11 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
113P-11 THE MINACK (IRE) 8 Graham Roach Paul Nicholls
3226U-3 TIDAL BAY (IRE) 11 Andrea & Graham Wylie Paul Nicholls
115-251 TIME FOR RUPERT (IRE) 8 Littlecote Racing Partnership Paul Webber
1134-P4 WAYWARD PRINCE 8 John & Hilary Parrott Ian Williams
1/10P-13 WEIRD AL (IRE) 9 Brannon Dennis Dick Holden Donald McCain
1/524P-3 WHAT A FRIEND 9 Ged Mason & Sir Alex Ferguson Paul Nicholls

34 entries
8 Irish-trained


Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup – sponsors bet: 11/4 Long Run, 4 Kauto Star, 8 Grands Crus, 10 Synchronised, 16 Captain Chris, 20 Time For Rupert, 25 Diamond Harry, Jessies Dream, Quel Esprit, Quito de la Roque, The Minack, Weird Al, 33 Albertas Run, Finians Rainbow, 40 Bostons Angel, Burton Port, Junior, Medermit, Midnight Chase, What A Friend, 50 Apt Approach, Carruthers, Little Josh, 66 China Rock, Magnanimity, Poquelin, Tidal Bay, The Giant Bolster, The Midnight Club, Wayward Prince, 100 Hey Big Spender, Mon Mome, 150 Halley, Knockara Beau.

Non runner, no bet - ¼ 1-2-3

 

Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase entries are being released tomorrow.

 

Didn't expect to see Finian's Rainbow or Medermit in there!!

 

Finians Rainbow?!

Why?

 

Hedging their bets!

Better to have an entry now when it only costs £625 per horse (followed by an additional payment of £1,250 in February) them than pay £25,000 to supplement them in March.

 

No entry for Neptune Collonges though, bit of a surprise to me.

 

OMG! Thanks PN! I wasn't aware it was today.

I'm so excited! I haven't even read your post yet!

I'm going to calm down and go and make myself a cuppa, then have a good read.

This is such a good forum

 

Please note that this thread has now been copied into the Gold Cup thread and all future entries news will be added to the appropriate race thread. Thanks.