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| 2013 Hennessy Gold Cup winner Triolo D'Alene (Getty images) |
Djakadam currently heads the market at 5/1; Mullins won't be sending this one over for the good of his health and even be Willie's extremely high standard the stable is absolutely flying at the moment. Fresh from releasing a host of Cheltenham horses the weekend just gone Djakadam will be trying to continue the trend of winners but it is worth noting that he is only 5, and no 5 year old has ever won this race. The Hennessy is a real tough test and with only three chase starts under his belt will this young horse have the experience for a handicap race of this nature? He may well be very special, and off his current mark could bolt in, but at current prices I'm going to look elsewhere.
Nicky Henderson has won the last 2 renewals of the race and Henderson sends last years winner Triolo D'Alene out again. However Triolo will have to carry 8lbs more than when victorious and also hasn't had the benefit of a prep run this time round so is passed over. His other representative is Hadrian's Approach who unseated in the race last year but does have plenty of form in the book that shows his abundant reserves of stamina, with the going set to be testing this will be a vital asset for any wannabee winner of the race. With prices of 20/1 available he is the more fancied of the 2 Hendo horses for me in this race but I wouldn't want to back him unless we get Barry Geraghty on on top purely because I think you need a top jockey to stop this horse falling (not the best of jumpers). If Geraghty is on Hadrian's Approach becomes a major interest for me, however as this is an ante-post piece I have to pass both Henderson runners for this article's purpose.
Man of the moment Philips Hobbs, a past winner of this race, would need to have his runners included in any race shortlist at the moment and he has a really interesting candidate here in Fingal Bay. Fingal Bay reverted to hurdling last season, with great success it should be added, but Hobbs is trying his had at the chasing game again with this classy horse. Just a look back in Fingal Bay's form catalogue and you have to take him seriously as a potential winner of this race as he has all the attributes you would want. Stamina, ability on testing conditions, course form, decent chase form (if we gloss over the time he ran out at Exeter...) and bundles of proven class (multiple Cheltenham winner is this one!) FB could well be the solution to the Hennessy puzzle. To win the Hennessy you have to be a horse with potential to run in top graded races, not just a good handicapper with a mark that has slipped down, and FB is certainly the former of those. Schooling reports have also been good and at 8/1 Fingal Bay is my selection of those at the head of the market.
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| Fingal Bay is very attractive in the market at 8/1 (Mark Cranham) |
Smad Place is the horse that gives me the most to worry about at the top end of the betting (Wasn't impressed with Rocky Creek on reappearance, although apparently STD was?), whilst Many Clouds will be popular having been the selection of top tipster Tom Segal when assessing this race. However for a 2nd string to my bow I will be looking at Buywise, who was really well fancied for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham this year and if he turns up at Newbury could run a huge race. The step up in trip will suit, as will testing conditions; they should also slow the pace of the race and give Buywise a bit more time at his fences and hopefully help his sketchy jumping. I'm not 100% sure Buywise will line up in the race or if Evan Williams will want to give him a longer break after his Paddy power exertions but at 20/1 the price is there to take the gamble.
Monday Edit
Unfortunately Buywise did not feature in the 23 entries revealed today, I did mention above that I was not totally sure if he would go for the race and Evan Williams has decided to save him for another day. The money continues to come for Djakadam and he is now as short as 7/2 in places, absolutely crazy considering the fav still needs to prove his stamina over the trip but he could be thrown in an it's that potential that people are backing. Hadrian's approach is also a less certain selection for me after Henderson admitted, after a poor Monday where several odds-on Hendo horses were beaten, that his stable had been held back a little in their work. So as an alternative to Fingal Bay I am adding in Dan Skelton's What a Warrior, a 25/1 shot in the race. What a Warrior is an improving type, coming here off the back of a big Handicap victory in the United House Gold Cup at Ascot which was earned the hard way; from the front. What a Warrior wouldn't want too much rain to arrive but he does have good form over races in excess of 3 miles and trainer Dan Skelton, although still a relative novice in the training ranks, has experience already of sending out winners of big Saturday races. Importantly Skelton also thinks there will be improvement seen by sending his charge left handed and coming here on the back of wins the last twice he will be full of confidence. At 25/1 there will certainly be value in getting involved to small e/w stakes if the ground doesn't get too wet.
Selections for the 2014 Hennessy Gold Cup
Fingal Bay 8/1
Buywise 20/1 - NON RUNNER
What a Warrior 25/1
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