Nicholls responsible for seven of 37 entries chasing glory in Paddy Power Gold Cup
 
Wednesday, 28 October, 2020 - Entries are unveiled today for the £130,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday, 14 November. The G3 handicap chase is the highlight of The November Meeting and has attracted 37 hopefuls in 2020.
 
Paddy Power return to back the two and a half mile contest in 2020, having previously been the sponsor from 2003 to 2015 inclusive.
 
Last year's contest went to the mare Happy Diva (Kerry Lee), who put a game performance under conditional Richard Patrick to score by a neck from Brelan d'As (Paul Nicholls). If successful again in 2020, Happy Diva would become the first horse to win back-to-back runnings since Bradbury Star is 1993 and 1994 and the sixth dual winner overall.


 
Happy Diva winning in 2019

Happy Diva went close to further success at the Home of Jump Racing last season when runner-up in the G3 Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase at The Festival. Her conqueror that day was Simply The Betts (Harry Whittington). Seven-year-old Simply The Betts was winning his second race at Cheltenham, having previously landed the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase on Festival Trials Day in January.
 
Trainer Harry Whittington was in fine form last week when Cheltenham's new season got underway with The Showcase, landing the Bentley Flying Spur Handicap Chase with Rouge Vif. Like Rouge Vif, Simply The Betts is owned by Kate and Andrew Brooks.
 
Sparsholt-based Whittington said: "Simply The Betts is on course for the Paddy Power Gold Cup and one would assume that is where we will go.
 
"I will talk to Andrew Brooks again, but we have made the entry and that looks to be where we are heading.
 
"He is a course and distance winner and an exciting prospect for this season.
 
"I have been delighted with how Simply The Betts has summered - I am thrilled with him to be honest with you.
 
"We have just done things slightly differently to sweeten him up and he has been working really well at home.
 
"We are looking forward to this season with him."


 
Simply The Betts

Heading the market at 6/1 with Paddy Power is Saint Sonnet, one of seven entries for 11-times champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls. The five-year-old is a Listed winner in France and made a very impressive debut for Nicholls when winning at Catterick in February. Saint Sonnet was far from disgraced on his only subsequent appearance when seventh, beaten 13 lengths, behind Samcro in the G1 Marsh Novices' Chase at The Festival™.
 
Nicholls is chasing his third Paddy Power Gold Cup success following Al Ferof (2012) and Caid du Berlais (2014). In addition to Saint Sonnet and last year's runner-up Brelan d'As, he could also be represented by Greaneteen, fourth in the G3 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase at The Festival™, recent Chepstow Listed scorer Grand Sancy,
Master Tommytucker, Southfield Stone, who was successful in a novices' handicap chase over the course and distance at The Showcase last week, and Modus.
 
Nicholls' great rival Nicky Henderson has won the Paddy Power Gold Cup once before with Fondmort (2003). The four entries from Seven Barrows are headed by G2 scorer Mister Fisher, who could be joined by Listed-winning mare Casablanca Mix, Precious Cargo and Gold Present.
 
Gloucestershire-based Nigel Twiston-Davies has sent out four Paddy Power Gold Cup winners, most recently Splash Of Ginge in 2017. His trio of entries for 2020 includes G1 Arkle Novices' Chase fifth Al Dancer, who made an impressive return to action at Newton Abbot on 11 October, plus recent Bangor victor Good Boy Bobby, who was also a very useful novice in 2019/20, and Count Meribel, who was sixth to Happy Diva last year.
 
Other chances of the prize remaining in Gloucestershire come from trainers Kim Bailey and Jonjo O'Neill. Bailey has two very interesting entries - Imperial Aura, winner of the Listed Northern Trust Novices' Handicap Chase at The Festival™, and G2 winner Two For Gold. O'Neill's entry is Sky Pirate, who shaped well on his return from a lay-off when second at Wetherby earlier this month.
 
Siruh du Lac was a dual G3 winner at Cheltenham in the 2018/19 campaign but disappointed in this race in 2019 when a well-supported 8/1 chance. He has been transferred to the yard of David Pipe, who saddled the 2011 scorer Great Endeavour, adding to the record eight Paddy Power Gold Cup winners sent out by his father Martin.
 
Venetia Williams, based in Herefordshire and successful previously with The Outback Way (1999) has four entries headed by Cepage, a G3 handicap chase winner on Festival Trials Day last season, and likely top-weight Aso, runner-up in the 2019 G1 Ryanair Chase at The Festival™.
 
Weights for the Paddy Power Gold Cup will be revealed on Wednesday, 4 November.
 
Paddy Power Gold Cup - Paddy Power prices:
6/1 Saint Sonnet; 8/1 Greaneteen, Imperial Aura; 11/1 Cepage; 12/1 Simply The Betts; 14/1 Al Dancer, Good Boy Bobby, Mister Fisher, Siruh du Lac; 16/1 Espoir de Guye, Grand Sancy, Midnight Shadow, Southfield Stone, Spiritofthegames, Vision des Flos; 20/1 Brelan d'As, Count Meribel, Happy Diva, Precious Cargo, Sky Pirate, Two For Gold; 25/1 Master Tommytucker, Slate House, The Russian Doyen; 33/1 Aso, Belami des Pictons, Casablanca Mix, Coole Cody, Court Master, Gold Present; 40/1 Domaine de l'Isle, The Bay Birch, Vinnie The Hoddie; 66/1 Kauto Riko, Pinson du Rheu
 
Paddy Power himself said: "The Paddy Power Gold Cup is the contest that really catapults the Jump season into full swing and returning to sponsor the great race felt very much like a homecoming for us.
 
"With 37 entries this time around, it looks all set to be as big a conundrum as it has even been. Our current 6/1 favourite is the unexposed Saint Sonnet, who looks open to any amount of improvement.
 
"Paul Nicholls has made no secret that he wants to hit the ground running this season and certainly is no stranger to Paddy Power Gold Cup success, having landed the spoils with Al Ferof and Caid du Berlais in the past. Saint Sonnet is a horse we want to definitely we want to be on the right side of at this stage."
 
The Paddy Power Gold Cup
Grade 3 handicap chase, £130,000 total prize fund. Cheltenham, Saturday, 14 November. Two miles, four furlongs (2m 4f 44y). For four-year-olds and upwards. Penalties: after November 1, a winner of a chase 5lb. Entries closed October 27, entries revealed October 28 (37 entries). Weights revealed November 4. Five-day confirmation stage November 9, final declarations November 12. Maximum field size 20 runners plus 2 reserves.
 
Horse
Age
Owner
Trainer
Al Dancer (FR)
7
Walters Plant Hire Ltd
Nigel Twiston-Davies 
Aso (FR)
10
The Bellamy Partnership
Venetia Williams 
Belami des Pictons (FR)
9
Hills of Ledbury Ltd
Venetia Williams 
Brelan d'As (FR)
9
J P McManus
Paul Nicholls 
Casablanca Mix (FR)
8
E R Hanbury
Nicky Henderson 
Cepage (FR)
8
The Bellamy Partnership
Venetia Williams 
Coole Cody (IRE)
9
W Clifford
Evan Williams 
Count Meribel
8
Charles C Walker
Nigel Twiston-Davies 
Court Master (IRE)
7
Mrs Lynne Maclennan
Michael Scudamore 
Domaine de L'Isle (FR)
7
12 Oaks Racing and Ian Hutchins
Sean Curran 
Espoir de Guye (FR)
6
Mrs J Hitchings
Venetia Williams 
Fidux (FR)
7
AXOM LXVIII
Alan King 
Gold Present (IRE)
10
John & Barbara Cotton
Nicky Henderson 
Good Boy Bobby (IRE)
7
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
Nigel Twiston-Davies 
Grand Sancy (FR)
6
Martin Broughton Racing Partners
Paul Nicholls 
Greaneteen (FR)
6
Chris Giles
Paul Nicholls 
Happy Diva (IRE)
9
Will Roseff
Kerry Lee 
Imperial Aura (IRE)
7
Imperial Racing Partnership 2016
Kim Bailey 
Kauto Riko (FR)
9
Mr and Mrs J Dale and Partners
Tom Gretton 
Master Tommytucker
9
A G Fear
Paul Nicholls 
Midnight Shadow
7
Mrs Aafke Clarke
Sue Smith 
Mister Fisher (IRE)
6
James and Jean Potter
Nicky Henderson 
Modus
10
J P McManus
Paul Nicholls 
Pinson du Rheu (FR)
9
S Bean
Alexandra Dunn 
Precious Cargo (IRE)
7
T Barr
Nicky Henderson 
Saint Sonnet (FR)
5
Colm Donlon
Paul Nicholls 
Simply The Betts (IRE)
7
Kate & Andrew Brooks
Harry Whittington 
Siruh du Lac (FR)
7
John White & Anne Underhill
David Pipe 
Sky Pirate
7
M Tedhamb
Jonjo O'Neill 
Slate House (IRE)
8
Eric Jones, Geoff Nicholas, John Romans
Colin Tizzard 
Southfield Stone
7
Angela Hart & Angela Yeoman
Paul Nicholls 
Spiritofthegames (IRE)
8
N W Lake
Dan Skelton 
The Bay Birch (IRE)
9
Tony Scrivin
Matt Sheppard 
The Russian Doyen (IRE)
7
The Gosden Mob
Colin Tizzard 
Two For Gold (IRE)
7
May We Never Be Found Out Partnership 2
Kim Bailey 
Vinnie The Hoddie (IRE)
6
Five Guys & A Striker Syndicate
Oliver Sherwood 
Vision des Flos (FR)
7
Ann & Alan Potts Limited
Colin Tizzard 
 
37 entries
 

Defending champion Harambe among 36 in Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle
 
The 2019 winner Harambe is among 36 entries for the £80,000 G3 Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, run over two miles on the third and final day of The November Meeting, Sunday, 15 November.
 
Harambe sprang something of a surprise last year at 16/1 and now has the chance to become the first two-time winner of the race.
 
His trainer Alan King, who landed the spoils in 2017 with Elgin, has also entered recent Welsh Champion Hurdle victor Sceau Royal and Edwardstone, last seen out when sixth in the G1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at The Festival™.


 
Harmabe (second left) winning in 2019

Nicky Henderson, remarkably, has yet to win the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle. The master of Seven Barrows has engaged Marie's Rock, who is unbeaten in three starts, and Countister, the sole entry for owner JP McManus.
 
Paul Nicholls has six contenders, the most of any trainer. They include classy four-year-olds Solo, Sir Psycho and Thyme White.
 
Song For Someone made great strides last season, winning two of his four starts including the rearranged G2 Kingwell Hurdle at Kempton Park in February. He now has a rating of 153.
 
Trainer Tom Symonds said: "Song For Someone is in great form and the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle is a possibility.
 
"He is entered at Ascot on Saturday and could head there, but the Greatwood is also in our minds.
 
"He is in really good form, and I am delighted with how he looks and how he has done over the summer.
 
"It is very exciting to have a horse like him in the yard, as he was a real flag bearer for us last season.
 
"His victory at Kempton was a real highlight and with his rating of 153, we will have to pitch him into some big races. Hopefully, he can have another good season."


 
Song For Someone

Anemoi has already been in winning action this season, taking a two-mile handicap at Wetherby on 14 October. That was the six-year-old's first start for 550 days, during which time he underwent wind surgery.
 
Trainer Harry Whittington said: "Anemoi could run in the Greatwood Hurdle.
 
"He may run in a Listed handicap hurdle at Ascot on Saturday and then perhaps go on to the Greatwood, but he has plenty of options at the moment.
 
"He has actually also been schooling over fences, so we basically want to cover all bases with him at the moment.
 
"We will continue to see how he schools over fences before making any firm decision, which means the Greatwood could definitely still be on the table."
 
The five Irish-trained entries include 2019 Galway Hurdle victor Tudor City, one of two possible runners for trainer Tony Martin, and Wolf Prince (Gavin Cromwell), who was last seen out over hurdles when second in the G1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown in February.
 
Weights for the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle will be revealed on Wednesday, 4 November.
 
Ed Nicholson, Head of Unibet's racing communications & sponsorship, said:
 
"The Unibet Greatwood hurdle has always thrown up quality two-mile hurdlers since it's inception in 1987; that year Celtic Shot won before taking the Unibet Champion hurdle the following March.
 
"Space Trucker, Rooster Booster, Sizing Europe and Menorah are all on the Unibet Greatwood Hall of Fame, while in recent years Garde La Victoire and Elgin have won the race, while many other G1 contenders such as Silver Streak, Verdana Blue and The New One have placed.
 
"It's no surprise that big race trainers such as Philip Hobbs, Paul Nicholls and Alan King have good records in the Unibet Greatwood hurdle, but what is a surprise is that Unibet ambassador Nicky Henderson has never won the race, given his seemingly perennial ammunition of good two-mile hurdlers. This time around he relies on a pair of mares in Countister (20/1) and Marie's Rock (12/1).
 
"Alan King has won the race twice in the last three seasons and his Edwardstone heads Unibet's market at 7/1, just ahead of the Paul Nicholls trained Thyme Hill at 8/1.
 
"The Unibet Greatwood hurdle is one of two big sponsorships for Unibet on Sunday, 15 November, as we also sponsor the Grade 1 Unibet Morgiana hurdle at Punchestown, and they form two of six legs in our Unibet Road to Cheltenham series of two mile hurdle races that culminates at the Cheltenham Festival in March with the Unibet Champion hurdle itself."
 
Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle - Unibet prices:
7/1 Edwardstone; 8/1 Thyme White; 10/1 Sceau Royal; 12/1 Tegerek, Maries Rock, Wolf Prince; 14/1 Main Fact, Anemoi, Cormier; 16/1 Milkwood, Hunters Call, Proschema, Solo, Pisgah Pike; 20/1 Benny's Bridge, Harambe, Song For Someone, Sir Psycho, Christopher Wood, Oakley, Countister; 25/1 Teqany, Ballyandy, Zambella, Dear Sire, Calva d'Auge, Ballinsker, Bua Boy; 33/1 Scaramanga, Strong Glance, Goobinator, Golden Spear, Tudor City, The Shunter; 40/1 Haafapiece, Thinking

 
The Unibet Greatwood Hurdle
Grade 3, £100,000 total prize fund. Cheltenham, Sunday, 15 November. Two miles and half a furlong (2m 87y). For four-year-olds and upwards. Penalties: after November 1, a winner of a hurdle 5lb. Entries closed October 27, entries revealed October 28 (36 entries). Weights revealed November 4. Six-day confirmation stage November 9, final declarations November 13. Maximum field size 24 runners.
 
Horse
Age
Owner
Trainer
Anemoi (FR)
6
Kate & Andrew Brooks
Harry Whittington 
Ballinsker (IRE)
5
GG Thoroughbreds XII & Partner
Evan Williams 
Ballyandy
9
Options O Syndicate
Nigel Twiston-Davies 
Benny's Bridge (IRE)
7
Biddestone Racing I
Fergal O'Brien 
Bua Boy (IRE)
5
Katie & Brian Castle Partnership
Denis Hogan IRE
Calva d'Auge (FR)
5
Owners Group 040
Paul Nicholls 
Christopher Wood (IRE)
5
Ms Sharon Kinsella
Paul Nicholls 
Cormier (IRE)
4
Dan Gilbert
Brian Ellison 
Countister (FR)
8
J P McManus
Nicky Henderson 
Dear Sire (FR)
8
Green Day Racing
Donald McCain 
Edwardstone
6
Robert Abrey & Ian Thurtle
Alan King 
Golden Spear
9
John Breslin
Tony Martin IRE 
Goobinator (USA)
4
T G Leslie
Donald McCain 
Haafapiece
7
Mrs Tilly Coles
Pam Sly 
Harambe
7
Niall Farrell & Friends
Alan King 
Hunters Call (IRE)
10
Holloway,Clarke,Black
Olly Murphy 
Main Fact (USA)
7
Munrowd's Partnership
David Pipe 
Marie's Rock (IRE)
5
Middleham Park Racing XLII
Nicky Henderson 
Milkwood (IRE)
6
Ms J Bridel
Neil Mulholland 
Oakley (IRE)
7
Tim Syder
Philip Hobbs 
Pisgah Pike (IRE)
5
ValueRacingClubcouk
Jamie Snowden 
Proschema (IRE)
5
Empire State Racing Partnership
Dan Skelton 
Scaramanga (IRE)
5
Malcolm C Denmark
Paul Nicholls 
Sceau Royal (FR)
8
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
Alan King 
Sebastopol (IRE)
6
C Boultbee-Brooks
Tom Lacey 
Sir Psycho (IRE)
4
Martin Broughton & Friends 3
Paul Nicholls 
Solo (FR)
4
Mrs Johnny de la Hey
Paul Nicholls 
Song For Someone (GER)
5
Sir Peter & Lady Gibbings
Tom Symonds 
Strong Glance
7
Welfordgolf syndicate
Olly Murphy 
Tegerek (FR)
6
Local Parking Security Limited
Jonjo O'Neill 
Teqany (IRE)
6
Mrs June Watts
Fergal O'Brien 
The Shunter (IRE)
7
P Byrne
Emmet Mullins IRE
Thinking (IRE)
5
Nick Shutts
David Pipe 
Thyme White (FR)
4
The Stewart Family
Paul Nicholls 
Tudor City (IRE)
8
John Breslin
Tony Martin IRE 
Wolf Prince (IRE)
4
Patrick Sheanon
Gavin Cromwell IRE
 
36 entries
5 Irish-trained
 
Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Racecourse is situated in Prestbury on the northern outskirts of the historic spa town of Cheltenham. The Home of Jump Racing, Cheltenham Racecourse is the venue for the world's pre-eminent Jump meeting. The Festival™, which happens in March over four days every year, next takes place from Tuesday, 16 March, to Friday, 19 March 2021 inclusive and tickets are on sale. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cotswolds, Cheltenham Racecourse is a stunning natural arena and offers the highest-quality action throughout the Jump season.
 
More information is available at www.cheltenham.co.uk and through:
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About The Jockey Club
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If you need any information about racing at Cheltenham, please contact Meg Furse, Regional Marketing Executive - Communications on 07896 076579 megan.furse@thejockeyclub.co.uk