Wednesday, 4 November, 2020 - The 158-rated Aso heads the weights on 11st 12lb for the £130,000 G3 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday, 14 November, details of which are revealed today.

Nicholls’s seven entries this year include Paddy Power’s 6/1 joint-favourite Saint Sonnet (11st 1lb), who has not raced since finishing seventh behind Samcro in the G1 Marsh Novices’ Chase at The Festival™.

A strong team for Nicholls also features yesterday’s G2 Haldon Gold Cup victor Greaneteen (11st 5lb ex 5lb penalty), recent Chepstow scorer Grand Sancy (11st 3lb) and last year’s runner-up Brelan d’As (10st 11lb).

Paddy Power’s other market leader Imperial Aura (Kim Bailey) will shoulder a minimum of 11st 11lb, following a comeback success in the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle on 1 November.

Nigel Twiston-Davies is the most successful current trainer in the Paddy Power Gold Cup with four wins. The Gloucestershire handler’s three entries include second season chasers Al Dancer (11st 8lb) and Good Boy Bobby (11st), who have been in winning action this season at Newton Abbot and Bangor respectively.

Last year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup heroine Happy Diva (Kerry Lee) has been allotted 11st 5lb. Cyfor Malta (1998 & 2002) is the most recent dual winner of the race, though you have to go back to Bradbury Star in 1993 and 1994 for the latest back-to-back scorer.

Happy Diva almost recorded a famous double at Cheltenham last season when a gallant second to Simply The Betts (Harry Whittington, 11st 11lb) in the G3 Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate at The Festival™.

Other names to note include Mister Fisher (11st 9lb), one of four entries for Nicky Henderson, and G1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase victor Slate House (Colin Tizzard, 11st 6lb).

Paddy Power Gold Cup - Paddy Power prices: 6/1 Imperial Aura, Saint Sonnet; 7/1 Simply The Betts; 8/1 Greaneteen; 11/1 Cepage; 14/1 Al Dancer, Good Boy Bobby, Mister Fisher, Siruh du Lac; 16/1 bar

For a complete list of Paddy Power prices, please click here: https://rb.gy/ceb6zy

Paddy Power himself said: “We still can’t separate Saint Sonnet and Imperial Aura at the top of the market and the latter arguably put up the most impressive possible trial for the Paddy Power Gold Cup being imperious at Carlisle on Sunday.

“But while Saint Sonnet looks to have a lovely racing weight of 11st 1lb, Imperial Aura has to carry at least 11st 11lb which will be no easy task as only Taquin Du Seuil four years’ ago has defied such a burden in the last 10 runnings.”b

Weights are also revealed today for the £80,000 G3 Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, the highlight on the third and final day of The November Meeting at Cheltenham, Sunday, 15 November.

Sceau Royal (Alan King) heads the weights on 11st 12lb following a cosy success in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las on 18 October, in which Ballyandy (11st 11lb, Nigel Twiston-Davies) finished second and Milkwood (Neil Mulholland, 10st 11lb) fourth.

This was a fifth start over hurdles for Milkwood, who had previously brushed aside Ballinsker (Evan Williams, 10st 1lb) in an intermediate hurdle at the same track on 1 October.

Trainer Neil Mulholland said: “The Greatwood Hurdle is the plan for Milkwood.

“We were pleased with the effort behind Sceau Royal. That was a real test for him stepping up into decent company and he did really well.

“He is only a young horse and is learning all the time. Hopefully, there is more to come.

"We are hopeful he can step up again and I think a big-field handicap at Cheltenham will suit him."

Sceau Royal’s handler Alan King has three entries in total as he chases a third Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle success since 2017. King’s team also includes last year’s winner Harambe (11st) and Unibet’s 7/1 favourite Edwardstone (10st 13lb), last seen out when sixth in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at The Festival™.

Paul Nicholls has landed the spoils three times, most recently with Old Guard in 2015. The Ditcheat handler has classy four-year-olds Solo, Sir Psycho and Thyme White among his six entries.

The five Irish-trained entries include 2019 Galway Hurdle victor Tudor City (11st 3lb), one of two possible runners for trainer Tony Martin, and Wolf Prince (Gavin Cromwell, 10st 11lb), who finished second in the G1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown in February.

Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle - Unibet prices: 7/1 Edwardstone; 9/1 Thyme White; 10/1 Main Fact, Sceau Royal; 11/1 Proschema; 12/1 Marie’s Rock, Tegerek, Wolf Prince; 14/1 Cormier, Sebastopol; 16/1 bar

For a complete list of Unibet prices, please click here: https://rb.gy/fg0szk

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