Tag Archive for: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup

Hewick in ‘great old form’ – but Hanlon on Gold Cup weather watch

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John ‘Shark’ Hanlon says Hewick is “better than he ever was” – but will make a last-minute decision on whether or not the American Grand National winner will run in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.

The eight-year-old shot to prominence when landing the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in April last year and followed up winning the valuable Galway Plate.

He then looked poised to add the Kerry National at Listowel to his CV, only to unseat Jordan Gainford at the last. But he earned compensation when taking the American Grand National at Far Hills, Maryland.

He has not run run since that success in October and after his final piece of work on the sands at Woodstown Beach in Waterford on Sunday morning, Hanlon was more than satisfied with his preparation.

However, while he is not cowering at the prospect of taking on the likes of Irish Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs, last year’s victor A Plus Tard and King George hero Bravemansgame in the blue riband, he is concerned about the potential for soft ground this week.

“We’re just coming off the beach and he is in great old form,” said Hanlon. “We just have to keep him fresh now.

“The ground is the only thing. That’s the only thing I’m afraid of. I’m hoping you won’t get a lot more rain over there.

“He is a much better horse on good ground and he’d handle good ground where other horses wouldn’t.”

Hewick is also entered for the Randox Grand National at Aintree on April 15, where he is due to shoulder joint-top weight of 11st 12lb along with last year’s runner-up Any Second Now and dual Grade One winner Conflated.

Hewick is a general 20-1 for the Gold Cup and 25-1 for the Grand National, and the Bagenalstown handler says he would not mind which race Hewick won, though his chance would improve with a sounder surface than is forecast at this week’s Festival meeting.

“You don’t want to leave his race at Cheltenham with the National only four weeks away,” added Halon.

“We have to think of everything. But we are bringing him over on Wednesday morning and we’ll make a decision on the morning (of the Gold Cup).

Shark Hanlon says Hewick is in ripe form ahead of Friday's Gold Cup
Shark Hanlon says Hewick is in ripe form ahead of Friday’s Gold Cup (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

“He’s in great form and I think he is better than he ever was. Everything went well with his preparation.

“Any of the two races will do us now. The National is something you dream of all your life, but a Gold Cup would be very special, so if we could be placed in it, we’d be very happy.

“The Gold Cup is the purists’ race, while the National is the people’s race – and he’s the people’s horse.

“He has a lot of weight for the National, but he’s carried a heavy weight everywhere he went before and he managed it, so I’m not over-worried by it.”

Scudamore confident of Senor’s Gold Cup credentials

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Peter Scudamore expects Ahoy Senor to be competitive in next Friday’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup as the finishing touches are put on his preparation.

The classy eight-year-old was a Grade One winner at Aintree as a novice chaser last season, yet three modest runs this term saw his odds drift to 50-1 for the Festival highlight.

However, Ahoy Senor showed significant improvement with a gutsy display in winning the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January and was catapulted right back into the reckoning for chasing’s blue riband.

“We are trying to keep our feet on the ground with him after he won at Cheltenham,” said Scudamore, trainer Lucinda Russell’s partner and assistant.

“I keep using this cricket terminology – he’d fit straight into Ben Stokes’ XI wouldn’t he? He won’t have made 10 at lunch time, he’ll make 120 after lunch or be back in the pavilion. He wears his heart on his sleeve.

“If he gets it right and gets his jumping right, he’ll be very competitive.”

The length-and-a-half victory over Sounds Russian, with Grand National winner Noble Yeats staying on in third, was a satisfying one for the Arlary House yard, which is situated between Perth and Edinburgh.

Ahoy Senor’s previous efforts this season included three defeats, when sent off favourite in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in October and when returning to Aintree for the Many Clouds.

After his fifth of nine to Bravemansgame in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, the eight-time champion jump jockey could have been forgiven for second-guessing himself over the horse’s ability.

Yet Scudamore insists he is still learning on the job and has every faith he can run a big race in the Gold Cup, for which he is as short as 12-1.

With L’Homme Presse injured, last year’s winner A Plus Tard suffering an interrupted preparation and both Bravemansgame and Galopin Des Champs unproven over three and a quarter miles, it has the makings of an open-looking renewal.

Ahoy Senor, whose nickname is Hank, should not be overlooked according to Scudamore, who added: “I really do think the British chasers are good at the moment.

“Unfortunately for L’Homme Presse’s people he won’t run. I think he’s as good as any of them and I think Bravemansgame, L’Homme Presse and Ahoy are all pretty good.

“Perhaps Bravemansgame is the best of the lot, but on his day, three-mile-two around Cheltenham might play to Hank’s strengths.

“It is never easy to go into this company straight out of a novice season.

Festival Trials Day – Cheltenham Racecourse – Saturday 28th January
Ahoy Senor and Derek Fox were impressive winners of the Cotswold Chase (David Davies/PA)

“At the beginning the of the season, a lot of people suggested we should have slipped into the Stayers’ Hurdle with him.

“But I feel with these horses, if you don’t jump fences early, they never get to jump fences. I think he is still learning his trade a little bit.

“I don’t think we are without a chance, but we are trying to keep our feet on the ground a little bit.”

Ahoy Senor is at least proven at Cheltenham, having chased home L’Homme Presse in last year’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase in very soft ground and when scoring in the Cotswold.

Scudamore hopes he will keep returning to the Prestbury Park track, even if he does not strike Gold this time round.

“I like to think he’s got a couple of years ahead of him,” he added.

“We were laughing, saying we hope that Ahoy and I and Lucinda and the owners stay around long enough to have six or seven goes at it. We are very proud of him and hopeful.”

Eldorado Allen will go for Cheltenham gold, with line put through Newbury

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Eldorado Allen remains on course for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup despite finishing a modest fifth to Zanza when bidding for back-to-back Denman Chase successes at Newbury.

The well-supported nine-year-old disputed the lead before being headed four out in a race was run in a time over 13 seconds quicker than standard.

Owned by John Romans and Terry Warner, Eldorado Allen has won four of his 16 starts over fences and was a creditable third to Allaho in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham following his victory in the Denman Chase last season.

Trainer Joe Tizzard is keen to return to Prestbury Park next month for the blue riband event, although admitted Eldorado Allen, who is a general 66-1 chance, would be vying for minor honours.

“There was a bit of disappointment, but as it turned out they went too quick,” said Tizzard of his latest effort under Brendan Powell.

“The front three horses took each other on and blew themselves out. It was a very fast time and it suited hold-up horses.

“In hindsight, we should have just settled in behind the front two, but those were not the tactics going out there, so I think you can just put a line through that run.

“John and Terry are still keen to run in a Gold Cup, so we’ll take our chance and he might run into a place at best.”

Meanwhile, Elixir De Nutz, who finished a creditable runner-up to Funambule Sivola in the Game Spirit Chase on the same card, looks set to go back up in trip.

Owned by Warner, the nine-year-old has proved ultra consistent, winning three of his 11 starts over fences and finishing runner-up on another four occasions.

Elixir De Nutz will have an entry in the Grand Annual Chase
Elixir De Nutz will have an entry in the Grand Annual Chase (John Walton/PA)

Though he stayed on well after finding the pace a little quick in the extended two-mile Grade Two event, Tizzard feels he will be better with added distance.

“Unless it is a bit soft, two and a half miles will be his thing now,” said the Dorset handler.

“It was a lovely run. The handicapper was sensible and put him up about 2lb.

“We’ll enter him in the Grand Annual and the two-and-a-half-miler (the Craft Irish Whiskey Co. Plate Handicap Chase, over two miles and five furlongs).

“If the ground went soft, he might stay at two (for the Grand Annual), but two and a half is ideal for him.”