Hennessy Gold Cup 2014

[Guest]

Entries out

Betting

Rocky Creek (10), Hadrians Approach (12), Imperial Commander (12), Invictus (12), Katenko (12), Unioniste (12), Goulanes (14), Lord Windermere (14), Same Difference (14), Super Duty (14), Ackertac (16), Our Father (16), Our Mick (16), Tidal Bay (16), Highland Lodge (20)

Press Release

The entries for the £175,000 Hennessy Gold Cup (Saturday 30th November) at Newbury have been released and Tidal Bay and Imperial Commander could bid to make history by becoming the first 12-year-olds to win the great race.

Paul Nicholls, who has won it three times as a trainer, has entered seven: Tidal Bay, Unioniste, Rolling Aces, Rocky Creek, Mon Parrain, Poungach and Aiteen Thirtythree.

The Irish haven't landed the Hennessy Gold Cup since 1980 but Lord Windermere, trained by Jim Culloty, could bid to follow in the hoofprints of last year's winner Bobs Worth, who had also taken the previous season's RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Champion Irish trainer Willie Mullins has five possible runners: Prince de Beauchene, Terminal, On His Own, Themoonandsixpence and Vesper Bell.

Venetia Williams is one of only two female trainers to have won the Hennessy and she will be hopeful that her progressive seven-year-old Katenko can give her a second victory following Teeton Mill's success in 1998.

Bobs Worth gave champion trainer Nicky Henderson his second win in the race 12 months ago and the Lambourn handler could potentially saddle Roberto Goldback, Triolo d'Alene and Hadrian's Approach.

Other notable contenders are Cape Tribulation, Harry Topper, Opening Batsman, Our Father and Invictus. The latter hasn't been seen since defeating Bobs Worth and Silviniaco Conti in the Reynoldstown Novices' Chase at Ascot in February 2012 and Alan King's inmate is an intriguing runner.

Stephen Higgins, Managing Director at The Racecourse Newbury, said:

"We're delighted with the entries for the Hennessy Gold Cup. Last year's contest was incredible, with the front three all going on to win Grade 1 races later that season, and it proved once again what a great race it is.

"The crowd would love to see Tidal Bay and Imperial Commander take their place in the line-up and it would be just fascinating to see how they fare against the younger brigade like Lord Windermere, Katenko and Rocky Creek."

[Old Vic]

If Tidal bay runs weights leaves Hadrians approach on 10 1 on current ratings. Lord Windemere would have handy enough weight too.

[Sefton]

Lord Windemere going straight there.

[Sefton]

Weights will go up

Twiston-Davies was the ninth rider to partner the Graham Wylie-owned winner and he said: "What a pleasure he is to ride, he made it very easy.

"He was really a steering job, I just tried to get him in amongst it and enjoying himself and that's one thing he definitely has done.

"He loves passing horses and Paul [Nicholls, trainer] told me to make sure I had one to aim at after the last."

Nicholls added: "I think he's probably better than last year, the lads at home say he is, it's just been a case of finding out how to train him.

"He deserves to go for the Betfair Chase, I think, why ask him to concede weight in the Hennessy. He'll probably go to Haydock along with Silviniaco Conti.

"The key to him is, even him he drops a few lengths behind, to not get after him and let him catch up in his own time and he loves passing horses.

"Sam gave him a great ride, he's potentially a top-class jockey."

Wylie said: "He's 12 and was coming back from an injury and I asked Paul if you could tell in a morning but he said he bounces out every day.

"The runner-up is only six and won a Coral Cup so it was a big effort.

"Sam did a great job and he showed a turn of foot after the last, he still picked up despite the mistake."