Denman in the Hennessy Gold Cup 2009

Submitted by Charlie McCann on 26 November 2009 - 3:40pm in

Horse Racing

Denman heads a star-studded field of 21 who will go to post for the 2009 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday. Stan James bet 10/3 that the former Gold Cup winner supplements his 2007 win in the race by landing this most prestigious and valuable handicap, but his price is more to do with antepost liabilities than his chance on the book in my opinion and Denman will have to back to his brilliant best if he is to give 12lbs and more to his 20 rivals; I think that will be beyond him.

Stan James bet 14/1 that Denman wins the Hennessy and the 2010 Gold Cup and they also have a number of other special markets betting:

Paul Nicholls trained winner of Hennessy (Denman & What A Friend) 2/1

Irish trained winner (Casey Jones, War Of Attrition, Snowy Morning, Offshore Account, Chelsea Harbour) 6/1

Evan Williams trained winner 5/1

Denman to win 2009 Hennessy & 2010 Gold Cup 14/1

Denman won his 2007 Hennessy off a mark of 161 and he will have to defy a 13lb rise if he is to follow up on Saturday. Kauto Star didn't impress everyone at Haydock last weekend and a win for Denman off 174 will surely see the Harry Findlay-owned nine-year-old vying for favouritism for the 2010 Gold Cup with his stable mate if he supplements his 2007 Hennessy win.

One could argue that the handicapper has given Denman a chance given he was rated 182 when he made a belated seasonal reappearance at Kempton back in February. He was no match for Kauto Star in the Gold Cup but his preparation was anything other than ideal and whilst he was beaten 13l he did have excellent yardsticks in the ill-fated Exotic Dancer and Neptune Collonges in arrears.

Denman is not the only former Gold Cup winner in the field and War Of Attrition by my reckoning has only ever carried less than 11st once in his career to date (last of 11 in a Naas Novice Hurdle!). His (sub-standard?) Gold Cup win back in 2006 was gained on good ground and he has been disappointing so far this term, but he receives 20lbs from Denman and could run a bigger race than his odds would suggest.

Barbers Shop has polarised opinion in the run up to the race. I have got to say I am in the camp that believes he didn't get home in the Gold Cup but around a flat track like Newbury? One Man certainly didn't get three and a quarter miles at Cheltenham but did win a Hennessy under 10st back in 1994. Barbers Shop will carry 10st 8lbs on Saturday and many good judges have suggested he is a good thing on last year's Paddy Power Gold Cup when beaten by Imperial Commander trying to give that one 3lbs. There are bullish noises coming out of the Henderson team but will his stamina get him home?

Even Williams is double-handed and both 2006 Hennessy winner State Of Play and Festival Foxhunters' winner Cappa Bleu are big players. After State Of Play's thrilling run in the Grand National is was expected that connections would once again target the Aintree showpiece but Denman's participation means that State O Play will carry the minimum weight (3lbs out of the handicap) and the prospect of another Hennessy is too good an opportunity to miss.

Cappa Bleu is hardly thrown in on what he has achieved to date and he was disappointing at Aintree last month although that form is probably better than first thought. He didn't appear to gel with Tony McCoy on that occasion but the Champion jockey was kind to him when his winning chance had gone. If Wayne Hutchinson (takes the place of Jamie Moore who failed a late fitness test) can get an early tune out of Cappa Bleu then he is a fascinating contender.

Casey Jones is the horse I've backed for the race and I was delighted to see the excellent Noel Fehily booked for the ride. Having jumped out to the left, violently on occasions, in both starts this term Noel Meade will be delighted to get him on a left-handed track. A Grade1 winner at Leopardstown (left-handed) as a novice his long term aim is likely to be the Grand National but in an open race he is the one I have pinned my colours to. There hasn't been an Irish winner of the race since 1980 when Bright Highway won for Michael O'Brien (Be My Royal first past the post in 2002 but later disqualified) but I'm sure Casey Jones (named after the late great American railroad engineer rather than the character in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I hope) isn't aware of that fact and the hope is that he can give both Noels a big winner ahead of their busy Xmas period.