Wednesday, November 3, 2004

FONDMORT AND HAND INN HAND HEAD WEIGHTS FOR PADDY POWER GOLD CUP

This is 12lb more than Fondmort carried to victory in 2003. He will bid to be the sixth horse to win the prestigious handicap chase twice. His trainer Nicky Henderson could also be represented by Calling Brave (11st 1lb) and Scots Grey (10st 7lb).

Martin Pipe has come to dominate the Paddy Power Gold Cup in recent seasons, recording six victories since 1987 with three consecutive victories in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

The Nicholashayne handler has seven entries this time around including the current ante-post favourite Our Vic (11st 1lb), who could be joined by stable companions Seebald (11st 8lb), second to Azertyuiop in yesterday's Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter, last year's leading novice Therealbandit (11st 2lb), the betfred Gold Cup winner Puntal (11st 1lb), It Takes Time (10st 9lb), Mondial Jack (10st 4lb) and Celestial Gold (10st 2lb).

Philip Hobbs, successful with Joint Sovereignty in 1989, also holds a strong hand with recent impressive totesport Wigan Chase victor Farmer Jack (11st 8lb), last year's Coral Cup victor Monkerhostin (9st 13lb) and Cameron Bridge (9st 12lb).

Fellow West Country handler Paul Nicholls has yet to taste victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup but has five to choose from with Le Roi Miguel (11st 7lb), Thisthatandtother (10st 12lb), Le Duc (10st 2lb), L'Ange Au Ciel (9st 13lb) and Spring Margot (9st 5lb).

Gloucestershire-based Nigel Twiston-Davies could run his exciting novice Ollie Magern (10st 12lb), a winner at Cheltenham last month as well as Redemption (10st 8lb).

The Irish are seeking their first Paddy Power Gold Cup triumph since Bright Highway in 1980 and their six entries this time around are headed by Jessica Harrington's Colca Canyon (10st 13lb) and Risk Accessor (10st 13lb), trained by Christy Roche, first and second respectively in the Munster National at Limerick last month.

Another leading conteder is the Gary Moore-trained Tikram (10st 11lb), successful over the course and distance in last season's Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup.

Latest Paddy Power Prices: 4/1 Our Vic, 5/1 Monkerhostin, 8/1 Farmer Jack, 10/1 Therealbandit, 12/1 Calling Brave, 12/1 Take The Stand, 12/1 Risk Accessor, 12/1 Colca Canyon, 12/1 Tikram, 12/1 Ollie Magern, 14/1 Thisthatandtother, 14/1 Fondmort, 16/1 Hand Inn Hand, 16/1 Scots Grey, 20/1 Ballycassidy, 20/1 It Takes Time, 20/1 Jakari, 20/1, Le Roi Miguel, 20/1 Redemption, 20/1L'Ange Au Ciel, 20/1 Banasan, 20/1 Barrow Drive, 20/1 Ground Ball, 20/1 Kelrev, 20/1 Le Duc, 20/1 Seebald, 25/1 Simply Gifted, 25/1 Turgeonev, 25/1 Cameron Bridge, 25/1 Atum Re, 25/1Massac, 25/1 Inching Closer, 25/1 Mondial Jack, 25/1 Puntal, 25/1 Spring Margot, 33/1 Better Days, 33/1 Celestial Gold, 33/1 Halexy, 40/1 Jahash, 40/1 Giocomo, 50/1 Red Striker, 66/1 Winning Dream (e/w odds 1/4 places 1, 2, 3, 4)

The next confirmation stage for the Paddy Power Gold Cup is at the five-day stage on Monday, November 8.
ROOSTER BOOSTER TOPS GREATWOOD HURDLE

The 2003 Smurfit Champion Hurdle victor Rooster Booster (11st 12lb) tops the weights for the £70,000 Greatwood Handicap Hurdle on the final day of Cheltenham's Open Meeting, Sunday, November 14, it is revealed today, Wednesday, November 3.

Philip Hobbs' charge took this race under top weight in 2002 en route to his Smurfit Champion Hurdle success.

Other possibles for the Greatwood Hurdle include last year's scorer Rigmarole (11st 5lb), successful last month in the RHT 40th Anniversary Hurdle at Kempton when he had Alan King's Trouble At Bay (9st 11lb) in second.

The 2001 Greatwood Hurdle scorer Westender (11st 3lb), also runner-up to Rooster Booster in the 2003 Smurfit Champion Hurdle, and Geos (10st 10lb), who denied Rooster Booster by a short head in the totesport Gold Trophy at Newbury in February, are also leading contenders.

Jonjo O'Neill's Lingo (10st 3lb) was a very useful performer in the Flat and won two of his three starts over hurdles last season and could well be on a handy mark while Dalaram (9st 9lb) made a promising seasonal debut when taking the Free Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow for trainer Howard Johnson.

The five-day confirmation stage for the Greatwood Hurdle is on Monday, November 8.

The Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Greatwood Hurdle are two of the 63 races involved in the British Horseracing Board's new Order of Merit competition. The connections of the overall winner with the most points throughout the season will receive £200,000 - 75% to the owner, 12.5% to the trainer and the same again to the stable staff.

The Open runs over three days, from Friday, November 12, to Sunday, November 14 inclusive, at Cheltenham, the home of National Hunt racing.

The Open (Friday, Saturday & Sunday, November 12-14) is three days which herald the moment when jump racing takes centre stage and people gather to celebrate top quality steeplechasing and hurdle racing. Each day has its own character and together they form an irresistible package. In recent years horses have travelled over from Ireland and Cheltenham has welcomed international challengers from France, Norway and the Czech Republic.

Friday, November 12 is Countryside Day, Saturday, November 13 is Paddy Power Gold Cup Day, Cheltenham's first great occasion of the season with a crowd of 25,000 expected to witness the £110,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup, while Sunday, November 14 features the £70,000 Greatwood Hurdle and sporting activities between members of Club 16-24 and the Young Farmers' Clubs.

Friday/Sunday admission prices are Club/Tattersalls: £20 (£18 in advance); Group Rate (15 or more): £16; 16-24s: £12; Best Mate: £6; Rooster Booster Raceday Package: £44 and Best Mate Raceday Package: £22.

Saturday's admission prices are Club: £30 (£22 in advance); Tattersalls: £20 (£18 in advance); Group Rate (15 or more): £16; Tattersalls seat: £15; 16-24s: £15; Best Mate: £10 (£8 in advance); Group Rate (15 or more): £7; Rooster Booster Raceday Package: £44 and Best Mate Raceday Package: £24.

THE PADDY POWER GOLD CUP WEIGHTS

Class A, Grade Three, Total Prize Fund £110,000. Cheltenham, Saturday, November 13, 2004. 2m 4 1/2f. For five-year-olds and upwards. Penalties: after October 30, a winner of a Class C steeple chase 3lb; of a Class A or B chase 6lb; no penalty to increase a horse's weight above 11st 12lb. Entries closed October 27, entries revealed October 28 (42 entries), weights revealed November 3. Five-day confirmation stage November 8, final declaration 10.00am Thursday, November 11. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Tuesday, November 2

Form Horse Age/Weight Owner Trainer
B2F143- HAND INN HAND 8-11-12 Patrick Burling Developments Ltd Henry Daly
14534F- FONDMORT (FR) 8-11-12 W. J. Brown Nicky Henderson
03U510-2 SEEBALD (GER) 9-11-08 The Macca & Growler Partnership Martin Pipe
P0100-1 FARMER JACK 8-11-08 Peter Partridge Philip Hobbs
24F4F6-5 LE ROI MIGUEL (FR) 6-11-07 Judy Stewart Paul Nicholls
4F-2112 TAKE THE STAND (IRE) 8-11-07 The Courters Peter Bowen
12542-2F TURGEONEV (FR) 9-11-05 D F Sills Tim Easterby
1111F0- THEREALBANDIT (IRE) 7-11-02 David Johnson Martin Pipe
0/1111U- CALLING BRAVE (IRE) 8-11-01 Sir Robert Ogden Nicky Henderson
11/2113- OUR VIC (IRE) 6-11-01 David Johnson Martin Pipe
415UU1- PUNTAL (FR) 8-11-01 Terry Neill Martin Pipe
31112P- BALLYCASSIDY (IRE) 8-11-00 R Owen & P Fullagar Peter Bowen
4-23212 RISK ACCESSOR (IRE) 9-10-13 J P McManus Christy Roche IRE
2-F12B1 COLCA CANYON (IRE) 7-10-13 Philip Myerscough Jessica Harrington IRE
0564-111 OLLIE MAGERN 6-10-12 Roger Nicholls Nigel Twiston-Davies
121F22- THISTHATANDTOTHER (IRE) 8-10-12 Graham Roach Paul Nicholls
214112- TIKRAM 7-10-11 Mike Charlton And Rodger Sargent Gary Moore
162/F5P- IT TAKES TIME (IRE) 10-10-09 David Johnson Martin Pipe
U5003-0 REDEMPTION 9-10-08 John Duggan & Michael Purtill Nigel Twiston-Davies
115103- JAKARI (FR) 7-10-08 Earl of Cadogan Henry Daly
1404-3U BARROW DRIVE 8-10-08 Exors of the Late Mrs B Lenehan Tony Mullins IRE
133F/1F- SCOTS GREY 9-10-07 Henry Ponsonby Nicky Henderson
13F120- GROUND BALL (IRE) 7-10-06 J P McManus Charlie Swan IRE
U1P01-1 MONDIAL JACK (FR) 5-10-04 C. M., B. J. & R. F. Batterham II Martin Pipe
P/5022U/- RED STRIKER 10-10-03 Norman Mason Richard Guest
013P4-4 LE DUC (FR) 5-10-02 Judy Stewart Paul Nicholls
32321-U ATUM RE (IRE) 7-10-02 Paul Green Paul Webber
13321- CELESTIAL GOLD (IRE) 6-10-02 David Johnson Martin Pipe
F-32621 BANASAN (IRE) 6-10-01 Sean Mulryan Michael O'Brien IRE
3//1U41-05 SIMPLY GIFTED 9-10-01 Steve Hammond Jonjo O'Neill
0/21P00-4 INCHING CLOSER 7-10-01 Andrea & Graham Wylie Howard Johnson
12204-2 KELREV (FR) 6-10-01 Len Jakeman, Flintham, King & Roberts Venetia Williams 13/43-200 WINNING DREAM (IRE) 10-10-00 Mrs C McKiernan Oliver McKiernan IRE 23116-1 MONKERHOSTIN (FR) 7-9-13 Martin St Quinton Philip Hobbs
1/1- L'ANGE AU CIEL (FR) 5-9-13 B C Marshall Paul Nicholls
66F5-21 CAMERON BRIDGE (IRE) 8-9-12 The Country Side Philip Hobbs
21223-1 MASSAC (FR) 5-9-10 Million in Mind Partnership Alan King
242452- JAHASH 6-9-10 J Hawkins Alan King
15P053-2 BETTER DAYS (IRE) 8-9-10 Trevor Hemmings Sue Smith
11311P//- SPRING MARGOT (FR) 8-9-05 Sir Robert Ogden Paul Nicholls
00/1U1P-4 GIOCOMO (IRE) 6-9-05 Mugsrus Barry Murtagh
P/11U0/5- HALEXY (FR) 9-9-04 Sir Robert Ogden Jonjo O'Neill

42 entries
6 Irish-trained entries

THE GREATWOOD HANDICAP HURDLE WEIGHTS

Grade 3, Class A, £70,000 Total Prize Fund, Cheltenham, 2.40pm, Sunday, November 14, 2004. For 4yo+, 2m 110yds. Penalties: after October 30, a winner of a Class A to C race 6lb. Entries closed Wednesday, October 27. Entries released Friday, October 29 (39 entries). Weights revealed Wednesday, November 3. Five-day declaration stage Monday, November 8. Final declaration stage 10.00am Friday, November 12. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Tuesday, November 2. May not include some overseas form.

Form Horse Age/Weight Owner Trainer
21222-2 ROOSTER BOOSTER 10-11-12 Terry Warner Philip Hobbs
11102-1 RIGMAROLE 6-11-05 Mr & Mrs Mark Woodhouse Paul Nicholls
533-52R WESTENDER (FR) 8-11-03 Matt Archer & Jean Broadhurst Martin Pipe
1/12215- BACK IN FRONT (IRE) 7-10-13 Nelius Hayes Edward O'Grady IRE
23010-1F SPORAZENE (IRE) 5-10-12 Ged Mason Paul Nicholls
05/21P0- GEOS (FR) 9-10-10 Thurloe Finsbury Nicky Henderson
115-112 ACCORDION ETOILE (IRE) 5-10-06 Banjo Syndicate Paul Nolan IRE
40301-0 COPELAND 9-10-04 Professor D Silk & Mrs Heather Silk Martin Pipe
121- LINGO (IRE) 5-10-03 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
11220P- PEROUSE 6-10-00 J Dickson & S McVie Paul Nicholls
11110-2 TROUBLE AT BAY (IRE) 4-9-11 Nigel Bunter Alan King
41223-0 CHIEF YEOMAN 4-9-10 B Moore & E C Stephens Venetia Williams
3113-0 POWER ELITE (IRE) 4-9-10 D P Sharkey Noel Meade IRE
151002- ALBUHERA (IRE) 6-9-09 D J & F A Jackson Paul Nicholls
11201-0 AL EILE (IRE) 4-9-09 M A Ryan John Queally IRE
0101-01 DALARAM (IRE) 4-9-09 Andrea & Graham Wylie Howard Johnson
1450-03 HOWLE HILL (IRE) 4-9-08 Mrs J Brown, R Benton, R Devereux & R Lucas Alan King
11- EXOTIC DANCER (FR) 4-9-08 Sir Robert Ogden Jonjo O'Neill
6243-11 NAWAMEES (IRE) 6-9-07 Paul Stamp Gary Moore
11521- LOUGH DERG (FR) 4-9-06 W Frewen Martin Pipe
11-3 ESSEX (IRE) 4-9-06 BPS Syndicate Michael O'Brien IRE
11303/3- CHAUVINIST (IRE) 9-9-06 Mrs E Roberts & Nick Roberts Nicky Henderson
214P-3 DICTUM (GER) 6-9-05 Camilla & Rosie Nock Susan Nock
12-31335 TORRID KENTAVR (USA) 7-9-05 Graeme Redpath Brian Ellison
311111 MARCEL (FR) 4-9-03 David Johnson Martin Pipe
11116- KING REVO (IRE) 4-9-03 Dick Renwick & Mrs C Barclay Pat Haslam
315- GRANDE JETE (SAF) 7-9-01 L Westwood A Chandler J J Hindley Nicky Henderson
12/1602- ALTAY 7-9-01 R M Jeffs & J Potter Richard Fahey
3142-1P DEFINATE SPECTACLE (IRE) 4-9-00 Mrs P Sloan Noel Meade IRE
2150-155 DAD'S ELECT (GER) 5-9-00 A L R Morton Charlie Mann
24112-4 FUNDAMENTAL 5-8-12 D N Green Jonjo O'Neill
2U12-13U FLYING SPIRIT (IRE) 5-8-12 Richard Green (Fine Paintings) Gary Moore
442010 PORTANT FELLA 5-8-10 Portant Fellas Syndicate Joanna Morgan IRE
310- PAPILLON DE IENA (FR) 4-8-05 Joe Moran Martin Pipe
P-11 MANX ROYAL (FR) 5-8-05 James and Antoinette Kennedy Martin Pipe
312-222F FOREVER DREAM 6-8-05 W McKibbin & A Stevens Philip Hobbs
1F-2 VALANCE (IRE) 4-8-02 M Haynes, A & J Allison, Johnny Weatherby Charles Egerton
23F13-3 THE KOP END (IRE) 6-8-02 J P McManus Christy Roche IRE
150-01 MONJOYAU (FR) 4-8-00 J P McManus Edward O'Grady IRE

39 entries
9 Irish-trained entries

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