by GYBS » Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:50 am
Defending champion Denman and former winner Kauto Star are set for a rematch in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.
Denman toppled his Paul Nicholls stablemate last year but was out for 11 months with heart problems and was beaten on his return in February.
Kauto Star has impressed this season and is the favourite, but no horse has ever regained the Gold Cup.
Nicholls's Neptune Collonges, third last year, is fancied, while the Queen has her first runner with Barbers Shop.
Denman was beaten by 23 lengths by the David Pipe-trained Gold Cup hope Madison Du Berlais on his reappearance at Kempton, while Kauto Star was an impressive winner of a third straight King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Kauto Star also has the bonus of being ridden by Ruby Walsh, who is the leading jockey so far at this year's Festival with five winners, including Master Minded in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and World Hurdle victor Big Buck's.
Nicholls has five runners in the race with My Will and Star De Mohaison, who was a late absentee from Tuesday's William Hill Trophy because of soft ground, also running.
Paul Carberry was due to ride Star De Mohaison but was taken to hospital for treatment on a punctured lung after falling from Jaamid in the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Thursday. Timmy Murphy will take his place in the saddle.
However, Nicholls remains confident about the 2007 champion regaining his crown.
"We think Kauto is in as good form as he has ever been and is the one to beat," he said
"But Neptune was only a neck behind him last year and is obviously improving but has he improved that much?"
"Denman has got to improve on what he did at Kempton to beat Kauto. Coming back from his problem, it is going to be quite hard for him."
But the odds are against Kauto Star taking back his title with horses like Mill House, L'Escargot and Desert Orchid among the 25 Gold Cup winners who have all failed to win the race again a year or more after being deposed as champion.
606: DEBATE
Who will win the Gold Cup?
David Pipe has his runner Madison Du Berlais in good shape but is not confident about repeating his Kempton win over Denman.
"It's great to have the fourth favourite in the Gold Cup," said the Nicholashayne trainer.
"We don't know what to make of the Kempton form. We might see a different Denman, but we go there with a realistic each-way chance. On official ratings we should finish fourth."
Following home the Nicholls team last year was Halcon Genelardais, recent Lexus Chase winner Exotic Dancer, who will be ridden by Tony McCoy, and Nigel Twiston-Davies' Knowhere, who all are entered again.
Barbers Shop will represent The Queen's first ever Gold Cup runner, while last year's RSA Chase winner Albertas Run will also take his chance.
There will be no Irish representation in the 16-strong field after 2006 winner War of Attrition was withdrawn on Monday because of a slight injury.
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Cheltenham Gold Cup entries:
(Form, Horse, Age, Trainer)
511-225 AIR FORCE ONE (GER) 7 Charlie Mann
113-4P23 ALBERTAS RUN (IRE) 8 Jonjo O'Neill
4121-21 BARBERS SHOP 7 Nicky Henderson
0P/50PP- CERIUM (FR) 8 Paul Murphy
11/1111-2 DENMAN (IRE) 9 Paul Nicholls
353-231 EXOTIC DANCER (FR) 9 Jonjo O'Neill
3242-232 HALCON GENELARDAIS (FR) 9 Alan King
122-1U1 KAUTO STAR (FR) 9 Paul Nicholls
16UP-10 KNOWHERE (IRE) 11 Nigel Twiston-Davies
425F-611 MADISON DU BERLAIS (FR) 8 David Pipe
112P-0U MIKO DE BEAUCHENE (FR) 9 Robert & Sally Alner
32023/-5 MY WILL (FR) 9 Paul Nicholls
1/3131-F NEPTUNE COLLONGES (FR) 8 Paul Nicholls
1225-13P ROLL ALONG (IRE) 9 Carl Llewellyn
331320P SNOOPY LOOPY (IRE) 11 Peter Bowen
1/11/3-024 STAR DE MOHAISON (FR) 8 Paul Nicholls
Who is going to win then ?
Im going for Kauto Star to regain the cup - in form and with Denman out for so long cant see him repeating last years race win
