KAUTO STAR AND DENMAN HEAD THE 2008 totesport GOLD CUP ENTRIES

The 2008 totesport Gold Cup promises to be one of the most fascinating renewals in the history of the great race, with the reigning champion Kauto Star poised to battle the brilliant Denman - his stablemate and pretender to jump racing’s ultimate crown.

The Paul Nicholls-trained pair are among 42 horses who have been entered for the £450,000 highlight of the four-day Festival at Cheltenham (Tuesday, March 11 - Friday, March 14), an entry that also includes the almost forgotten 2005 totesport Gold Cup hero Kicking King, like Kauto Star, a dual winner of the King George VI Chase.

Kauto Star already has at least two feet indignantly planted across the elusive line that demarcates greatness, having won seven Grade One chases at distances ranging from the two miles of Sandown’s Tingle Creek Chase to the extended three and a quarter miles of the totesport Gold Cup.

Clive Smith’s pride and joy was the undisputed star of the 2006/2007 season. His versatile alliance of speed and stamina resurrected memories of the great Desert Orchid and he completed a six-race unbeaten campaign when holding Exotic Dancer by two and a half lengths in the big one at The Festival.

With back-to-back wins in the Tingle Creek (2005, 2006), Betfair Chase (2006, 2007) and King George VI Chase (2006, 2007) in the bag, Kauto Star is 11/10 favourite with sponsor totesport to become the seventh multiple winner of the Gold Cup in its 84-year history.

Kauto Star’s most recent triumph saw him saunter to a devastating 11-length triumph over Our Vic in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day. He is rated 184 by Timeform, 8lb clear of his closest rival.

Two days after the champion’s Kempton Park romp, stablemate Denman vanquished a top-class field in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown to consolidate his position as 7/4 second-favourite with totesport.    

That Irish triumph may not have been as impressive as the eight-year-old’s earlier emphatic 11-length win under top-weight of 11st 12lb in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury, but it did confirm the belief that the resolute galloper could be the horse to push Kauto Star to his limits at Cheltenham in March.

Denman, winner of the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at The Festival in 2007, is rated second-best to Kauto Star with a Timeform rating of 176. That mark is one pound higher than the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Exotic Dancer, the 2007 toteport Gold Cup runner-up who pushed Kauto Star close in the Betfair Chase in November but subsequently wilted in the champion’s slipstream on Boxing Day.

A brilliant renewal looks assured and with Grade One winners entered such as The Listener, Neptune Collonges, Star De Mohaison and In Compliance alongside the gutsy 2006 Welsh National hero Halcon Genelardais and progressive types like Mossbank, Aces Four, L’Antartique and Snowy Morning, plenty of connections will be looking at spoiling the Kauto Star party on March 14.

For further information, please contact Cheltenham Racecourse’s Communications Manager Andy Clifton on 01242 513 014 or 07876 330 090

THE totesport CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP

Class 1, Grade 1, £450,000 Total Prize Fund. 3.15pm, Cheltenham, Friday, March 14, 2008. For 5yo+ which are allotted a rating of 130 or more by the BHA Head of Handicapping following a review of the horses entered and after taking account of races run up to and including March 7 - horses which are not qualified for a rating in GB, IRE or FR may also be entered & such horses may be eligible providing the Handicapper is satisfied that the horse’s racecourse performances up to and including March 7 would merit a minimum rating of 130 (the decision of the BHA Head of Handicapping shall be final), three miles, two and a half furlongs. Weights: 5yo 11st 8lb, 6yo+ 11st 10lb. Allowances: mares 7lb. Entries closed January 8, entries revealed January 9 (42 entries), forfeit stage February 12, £22,500 supplementary entry stage March 8, six-day confirmation stage March 8. Final 48-hour declaration stage, 10am, March 12. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Tuesday, January 8.

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer

1241F-P ACES FOUR (IRE) 9 The DPRP Aces Partnership Ferdy Murphy

1F1-001 ALEXANDER TAIPAN (IRE) 8 Noel O'Callaghan Willie Mullins IRE

F21151- ANOTHER PROMISE (IRE) 9 Geoff Hubbard Racing Ferdy Murphy

P//415/-2P AZULEJO (FR) 10 Judith Wilson & T J Wilson Michael Scudamore

U/513P-P BILLYVODDAN (IRE) 9 Trevor Hemmings Henry Daly

1130/U1/- CELESTIAL GOLD (IRE) 10 David Johnson David Pipe

U0-4P3F CHELSEA HARBOUR (IRE) 8 Mrs P DuffinTom Mullins IRE

2P0450- CONTRABAND 10 Fergus Wilson Paul Murphy

1111-11 DENMAN (IRE) 8 Paul Barber & Maggie Findlay Paul Nicholls

1103-PP DOM D'ORGEVAL (FR) 8 A J White and Mrs A Underhill David Pipe

121-323 EXOTIC DANCER (FR) 8 Sir Robert Ogden Jonjo O'Neill

56P-2412 FUNDAMENTALIST (IRE) 10 C Cornes Nigel Twiston-Davies

0/1P061/- FUSTRIEN DU PAON (FR) 12 Fergus Wilson Richard Chotard FR

211F-36 GUNGADU 8 Paul Barber & Maggie Findlay Paul Nicholls

113P-32 HALCON GENELARDAIS (FR) 8 Ian Payne & Kim Franklin Alan King

22/500-P HEDGEHUNTER (IRE) 12 Trevor Hemmings Willie Mullins IRE

23/113-4 IN COMPLIANCE (IRE) 8 Sean Mulryan Michael O'Brien IRE

1r416F5 IRON MAN (FR) 7 Roddy Owen & Paul Fullagar Peter Bowen

111-211 KAUTO STAR (FR) 8 Clive Smith Paul Nicholls

11/1231/- KICKING KING (IRE) 10 Conor Clarkson Tom Taaffe IRE

0U-135P KNOWHERE (IRE) 10 Raymond Mould Nigel Twiston-Davies

21U-116 L'ANTARTIQUE (FR) 8 Mrs A N Durkan Ferdy Murphy

103-442 MADISON DU BERLAIS (FR) 7 Roger Stanley & Yvonne Reynolds II David Pipe

0P-14F0 MAJADAL (FR) 10 Fergus Wilson Richard Chotard FR

11305-5 MILAN DEUX MILLE (FR) 6 Fergus & Judith Wilson David Pipe

F16-301 MISTER TOP NOTCH (IRE) 9 Mrs Marie Cronin Davy Fitzgerald IRE

44R5-33 MONKERHOSTIN (FR) 11 Martin St Quinton Philip Hobbs

F0P-112 MOSSBANK (IRE) 8 Gigginstown House Stud Michael Hourigan IRE

216F01- NEPTUNE COLLONGES (FR) 7 John Hales Paul Nicholls

1111-U2 OFFSHORE ACCOUNT (IRE) 8 Brian Polly Charlie Swan IRE

5/U40-16 OLLIE MAGERN 10 Roger Nicholls Nigel Twiston-Davies

1/1223-2 OUR VIC (IRE) 10 David Johnson David Pipe

3F54-14 RACING DEMON (IRE) 8 Camilla Radford Henrietta Knight

13U/232/- RULE SUPREME (IRE) 12 John Fallon Willie Mullins IRE

124-F11 SNOWY MORNING (IRE) 8 Quayside Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE

111/11-3 STAR DE MOHAISON (FR) 7 Sir Robert Ogden Paul Nicholls

1/164-25 STATE OF PLAY 8 Mr & Mrs William Rucker Evan Williams

1/326//-4F STRONG FLOW (IRE) 11 Barry Marshall Dessie Hughes IRE

1P6-311 TAMARINBLEU (FR) 8 The Arthur White Partnership David Pipe

120-U13 THE LISTENER (IRE) 9 Old Moss Farm Robert Alner

210P-P1 TURKO (FR) 6 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls

P235-41 TURPIN GREEN (IRE) 9 Trevor Hemmings Nicky Richards

42 entries

11 Irish-trained

2 French-trained

Timeform Ratings correct as of Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 12.00pm

Kauto Star 184, Denman 176p, Exotic Dancer 175, Kicking King 168+, The Listener 168, Our Vic 167§, Racing Demon 166,  Halcon Genelardais 165, Mossbank 163, Neptunes Collonges 161, Turpin Green 161§, My Way de Solzen 159, Star De Mohaison 158+, Aces Four 157p, L'Antartique 153, In Compliance 152, Snowy Morning 148

BREAKDOWN OF ENTRIES BY TRAINER WITH PAST SUCCESSES IN THE totesport CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP

6 Entries

Paul Nicholls (1999 See More Business, 2007 Kauto Star)

David Pipe

4 Entries

Willie Mullins IRE

3 Entries

Ferdy Murphy

Nigel Twiston-Davies

2 Entries

Richard Chotard FR

1 Entry

Robert Alner (1998 Cool Dawn)

Peter Bowen

Henry Daly

Davy Fitzgerald IRE

Philip Hobbs

Michael Hourigan IRE

Dessie Hughes IRE

Alan King

Henrietta Knight (2002, 2003, 2004 Best Mate)

Tom Mullins IRE

Paul Murphy

Michael O’Brien IRE

Jonjo O’Neill

Nicky Richards

Michael Scudamore

Charlie Swan IRE

Tom Taaffe IRE (2005 Kicking King)

Evan Williams

totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup – Analysis

Reigning champion Kauto Star tops 42 fantastic contenders engaged in the £450,000 totesport Gold Cup at Cheltenham, entries for which are revealed today, Wednesday, January 9, 2008.

The Clive Smith-owned eight-year-old demolished his rivals when winning a second successive King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and will bid to etch his name among the greats with a second Gold Cup triumph at The Festival on Friday, March 14.

Kauto Star could face his biggest challenge in the extended three and a quarter mile contest from stablemate Denman, last season’s Grade One Royal & SunAlliance Chase winner at The Festival, who defied top-weight of 11st 12lb when pulverising his rivals in the Grade Three Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury and then took the Grade One Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28 by four lengths from Mossbank.

The Jonjo O’Neill-trained Exotic Dancer chased home Kauto Star in last season’s totesport Gold Cup and filled the same berth in the Grade One Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 24, before taking third in the King George, one place behind the David Pipe-trained Our Vic.

Dorset handler Robert Alner took the totesport Gold Cup in 1998 with Cool Dawn and he has entered dual Grade One winner The Listener. The grey easily defeated subsequent Grade One Dial-A-Bet Paddy Power Chase winner Mansony, trained by Arthur Moore, when winning the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase on December 9, prior to finishing third in the Lexus Chase.

As well as Kauto Star and Denman, Nicholls’ powerful entry consists of Grade One Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup hero Neptune Collonges, 2006 Royal & SunAlliance Chase victor Star De Mohaison, and the smart pair of Turko and Gungadu.

North Yorkshire handler Ferdy Murphy has entered last season’s top-class novices Aces Four and Another Promise, along with L’Antartique. The last-named was successful in the Grade Three Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November and the Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase at the 2007 Festival.

David Pipe has engaged Grade Three Boylesports.com Gold Cup winner Tamarinbleu, King George runner-up Our Vic, Celestial Gold, Dom D’Orgeval, Madison Du Berlais and Milan Deux Mille.

The first four home in the 2007 totesport Gold Cup are entered again, with last year’s third Turpin Green, trained by Nicky Richards, and the Philip Hobbs-trained Monkerhostin, who took fourth that day, potential rivals once again.

Barbury Castle trainer Alan King could run Halcon Genelardais, the 2006 Coral Welsh National winner who, in bidding for a second victory in the Chepstow marathon on December 27, carried top-weight of 11st 12lb but gallantly failed by a head to hold off Miko De Beauchene.

Henrietta Knight saddled the great Best Mate to three victories in the totesport Gold Cup (2002, 2003 and 2004) and has entered King George fourth Racing Demon, while Henry Daly has engaged Billyvoddan and Evan Williams could run 2006 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup winner State Of Play.

Fundamentalist won the 2004 Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle for Nigel Twiston-Davies, while the Michael Scudamore-trained Azulejo - a Listed winner in France - is entered, as is the Paul Murphy-trained Contraband, who won the 2005 Grade One Irish Independent Arkle when trained by Martin Pipe. Peter Bowen, who sent out the 2005 runner-up Take The Stand has entered Iron Man.

The 11-strong Irish entry is headed by the Tom Taaffe-trained former champion Kicking King. The 10-year-old was victorious in the 2005 totesport Gold Cup but has been sidelined since taking back-to-back renewals of the King George VI Chase in December, 2005, and could bid to reclaim his crown in what would be a fascinating clash with Kauto Star.

Mossbank, trained by Michael Hourigan, has emerged as a leading player in Ireland this term. The eight-year-old landed the Grade Two Clonmel Oil Chase in November prior to chasing home Denman at Leopardstown.

Willie Mullins saddled 2005 Grand National hero Hedgehunter to finish runner-up behind War Of Attrition in the 2006 totesport Gold Cup and the 12-year-old could bid to go one better in 2008.

Mullins has four horses engaged in all, the others being 2007 Royal & SunAlliance Chase second Snowy Morning, the top-class Rule Supreme, who was last seen finishing runner-up in the 2005 French Champion Hurdle and the smart Alexander Taipan.

Michael O’Brien has engaged Grade One victor In Compliance, while Dessie Hughes has entered Strong Flow, winner of the 2003 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup when trained by Paul Nicholls.

Charlie Swan, who rode the great Istabraq to three Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle triumphs and is now a trainer, could run Grade One winner Offshore Account, while Tom Mullins has entered Chelsea Harbour and Davy Fitzgerald could run last season’s Grade One Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase hero Mister Top Notch.

The last French-trained success in the totesport Gold Cup came when the Francois Doumen-trained The Fellow took the spoils in 1994, but the Richard Chotard-trained pair of Majadal and Fustrien De Paon both face a very stiff task.