Check out our guide to the runners in Saturday's Paddy Power Gold Cup at the Cheltenham November meeting.
Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase
When: 2.55, Saturday November 12
Where: Cheltenham Racecourse
First prize: £90,032
TV: ITV Racing & Racing TV (Sky 426)
MISTER FISHER
Been a good servant and still only an eight-year-old with 14 chase starts to his name all told. Multiple Grade 2 winner so obviously classy enough for a race of this nature and his rating has dipped enough (162 down to current 156) to think he might be able to exploit it in a valuable handicap before too long. Seems to prefer the New Course here at Cheltenham and although he will handle whatever the ground is like, the run might just bring him on physically.
EDITEUR DU GITE
Interesting contender for 2018 winning trainer Gary Moore (also has Nassalam entered) as he’d looked a bit of a non-stayer around this sort of trip in the past but appeared to be in need of more of a test when third here over two miles on his seasonal return. Decent ground would be ideal and there’s a sense he’s not completely handicapped out of things off 153, while prominent racers also tend to do well in this (change of tactics didn’t help last time).
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SIMPLY THE BETTS
Now goes in the silks of owner-rider David Maxwell and he’s definitely capable of a big run. Still 3lb higher than for last win which came at the 2020 Festival, though, and may need just a little more help from the assessor, along with more testing conditions, before he can get fully back in the groove. Has won when fresh in the past.
COOLE CODY
Phenomenal Cheltenham record overall, including wins in this race two years ago and at last year’s Festival when battling gamely to defy a mark of 145. He remains 6lb higher for the time being so will probably need a new career best at the age of 11 which looks a tall order despite the recent hurdles run no doubt putting him straight for the main target this weekend. Others simply look better treated at present.
HAPPYGOLUCKY
Trainer says they’re going to hold out for soft ground so might need a change in the weather forecast to allow him to run but otherwise he has an intriguing profile having won the valuable 3m1f handicap at Aintree’s Grand National meeting when last seen in April 2021. Might be more suitable for Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup later in the month but handicap mark looks manageable on the face of it.
STOLEN SILVER
Represents seriously in-form yard who landed last Saturday’s big handicap chase at Aintree and this seven-year-old was last seen winning over this course and distance (New Course) at the April meeting, having been fourth to Coole Cody in the Festival Plate. New mark (7lb higher) demands more of him, clearly, but he still has a bit of potential to climb higher and his smart jumping at the head of affairs should make him quite a difficult rival to get past.
FRENCH DYNAMITE
Irish chasers have tended to struggle in this particular race over the years but this one has a touch of class and he looked in good order when winning a hurdle race over slightly further at Thurles when reappearing last month, making all the running and finding plenty for pressure. Was rated 150 over timber in Ireland last year so current BHA chase mark of 148 shouldn’t be too taxing on the face of it and no real surprise to see him among the market leaders. Seems to love Thurles (right-handed) but has won going this way around in the past too.
MIDNIGHT RIVER
Hinted at what was to come as a novice hurdler and at points in novice chases last term, before form dipped a bit in the spring, but looked way ahead of the handicapper when defying a mark of 137 with a 25-length romp at Stratford late last month. Going to prefer softer ground going forward, according to his trainer, but still a fair chance he’s at least one step in front of the assessor despite a 7lb rise. Must be afforded maximum respect.
UMBRIGADO
Looked a smart novice around this trip in 2021 but last season just never got going and he was restricted to just three starts before undergoing a wind operation earlier this year. Has resumed in good order with a runner-up effort and a narrow-margin success – both over extended 3m2f over hurdles – and the big question now is whether he can maintain that form, and build on it, off a higher mark back over fences. Stable has a fine record at the meeting and in this particular race so worth considering despite the drop back in distance.
NASSALAM
Was a good juvenile hurdler a couple of seasons ago but has plenty of size about him and developed into a useful novice when switched to fences last term, winning three times all around this intermediate trip. Has often jumped out to the left and that reared its head again – quite markedly so – when letting down favourite-backers on his seasonal return over 2m1f at Ascot last month. Ended last term on a high with Fontwell win in first-time blinkers and interesting to see if the headgear returns this weekend. Would ideally want more rain than is expected but he’s just the sort of second-season chaser you need onside in a race of this nature. Another who tends to race prominently.
GA LAW
Was a highly promising novice in 2020, winning the Grade 2 ‘Rising Stars’ at Wincanton before finding the drop to two mile and step up to G1 company too much for him at Sandown. Only raced twice since that December 2020 defeat but performed well on each occasion including his belated comeback run (after 603 days away) in the Old Roan at Aintree. Major claims here if stepping up on that effort as a relatively dry forecast looks more of a positive for him than others.
IL RIDOTO
Champion trainer merrily going about picking off major handicap targets in recent weeks and this one looks to be starting his campaign on a potentially nice mark having been dropped a couple of pounds for his low-key efforts in the spring. Sole chase win to date came over the extended two miles at Newbury so clearly has the pace for this sort of test but, like many others entered up here, connections would surely prefer a lot more rain than looks likely in the build-up.
SLATE HOUSE
Former Grade 1-winning novice who has bags of Cheltenham experience to draw upon and he finished sixth to Coole Cody at the Festival here in March, after which he won two handicaps at Kempton from marks of 130 and 137. Still a bit higher on 140 now and his comeback run back at Kempton last month wasn’t too inspiring but hard to suggest he’d be a shock winner given that back-class.
STORM CONTROL
Probably a shade unlucky not to win the Sky Bet Chase last season, travelling to the front in great style only to be collared close home having been out in front long enough. Kicked into touch by Midnight River at Stratford last month, where the drop in trip evidently didn’t help him at all. Back on a fair mark and should be sharper for the run (won second-time-out) last season and he represents 2019 winning connections (Happy Diva).
GALAHAD QUEST
Still somehow only 1-11 over fences but he’s run several creditable races during that period including when fifth in this event 12 months ago off a 4lb higher mark. Seems to handle all types of ground, made a decent enough start to the campaign when second on good to firm at Stratford last month and he’s definitely one of the more realistic each-way players again this weekend.
DEYRANN DE CARJAC
Has been a bit of a frustrating horse to follow and that was never more evident than at Wetherby a fortnight ago when looking almost certain to collect at the last, before being nabbed on the run to the line. Handicapper has nudged him back up 4lb for that but he will be found much easier opportunities in the coming months so merely one to monitor for the time being.
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