Matt Brocklebank shines a light on three horses who have run encouraging races this autumn ahead of the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 18.
Since Annacotty won the 2015 Paddy Power Gold Cup on seasonal (and stable) debut in 2015, all seven winners of the Cheltenham feature have lined up on the back of encouraging prep runs in defeat.
Ga Law was third in the Old Roan before winning 12 months ago and Midnight Shadow had filled the same spot in the same Aintree race the year before. Happy Diva and Splash Of Ginge warmed up at Wetherby, Baron Alco and Taquin De Seuil ran well enough in behind at Chepstow’s opening meeting, while the remarkable Coole Cody came into the 2020 edition on the back of three fine efforts in novice chases at Newton Abbot (x2) and Cheltenham.
So it begs the question - who has produced the most eyecatching autumn efforts with this specific target in mind?
NOTLONGTILLMAY (Laura Morgan) – 4th in 2m handicap chase, Cheltenham
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook
Formerly with Chris Gordon, Notlongtillmay won on his first run for Laura Morgan at Wetherby 12 months ago and hasn’t looked back since.
He went on to complete a hat-trick of novices’ handicap chase wins when racking up a Musselburgh double in the new year and then came out second best behind Stage Star with a terrific effort in the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Back in the handicap ranks for his seasonal comeback at the Showcase meeting recently, the seven-year-old ran a cracking race when fourth from a mark of 152 behind Dancing On My Own, beaten just three and a half lengths having never been far off the pace.
That comeback run (replay below) came over two miles and he’ll certainly be happier going back up to this intermediate trip.
DATSALRIGHTGINO (Jamie Snowden) – 8th in 2m4f Old Roan Handicap Chase, Aintree
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook
Trained by last year’s winning handler and set to line up at Cheltenham on the back of a prep run in the same race used for Ga Law, Datsalrightgino unquestionably ticks a few boxes on paper and we really shouldn’t be taking a literal view of this horse’s Old Roan effort given six fences were omitted due to the low sun at Aintree.
Old Roan second Minella Drama, third Al Dancer, and former Grade 1-winning ninth My Drogo also contested the same race but Datsalrightgino looks to have been trained specifically for the Paddy Power and his second to Stage Star – when receiving just 4lb – in the often-informative Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase on Festival Trials Day back in January (replay below) reads really well as he had Unexpected Party 10 lengths back in third that day.
A mark of 149 may not be completely beyond this promising seven-year-old.
ANGELS BREATH (Sam Thomas) – 2nd in 2m4f handicap hurdle, Cheltenham
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook
Trainer Sam Thomas has three horses entered up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and they’ve all been out already this season, with Angels Breath arguably running the most encouraging race with a major future target in mind.
Whether it’s this race remains to be seen as he’s a shorter price for the valuable stayers’ handicap hurdle on Betfair Chase day (November 25) at Haydock but Angels Breath was a Grade 2-winning novice chaser for Nicky Henderson four years ago and the Showcase meeting spin over the smaller obstacles does give the impression connections were keen to see him in action back at Cheltenham (well-held seventh in Klassical Dream’s Sky Bet Supreme in his youth on only previous course appearance).
Soft ground suits the grey so the fact he could show a decent chunk of his former ability on good going after another 200 days off underlines the fact he’s still got something to offer and it would be a bold move to see him aimed at the Paddy Power. He won’t be 25/1 if this race in nominated in the coming days.
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