West End Rocker Can Land Bet365 Gold Cup

April 26, 2012 Leave a comment

It has been a case of “Cometh the rain, cometh the money” for the two proven mud lovers in this weekend’s Bet365 Gold Cup over an extended 3m5f atSandownPark. The first of those, Le Beau Bai, winner of the Welsh National earlier this season has been heavily supported in the market this week and has been cut from 12/1 into 6/1 across the board with bookmakers, whilst Becher Chase winner, West End Rocker, is reported to be unaffected by his Grand National fall and is next in the market at a best price 9/1 with Ladbrokes.

It is the Bet365 Gold Cup, known for years previously as the Whitbread Gold Cup, is the race that effectively draws the curtain on the National Hunt season. Over the years it has produced some fantastic winners, the great Arkle took the honours in 1965, his great rival, Mill House took the race in 1967 and the incredible Desert Orchid won a pulsating battle in 1988. All three carried top weight to victory.

Top weight this year is Tidal Bay, former winner of the Grade 1 Arkle Challenge Trophy over 2 miles at Cheltenham but who these days is campaigned over longer trips but he has found little success since moving to the stable of Paul Nicholls at the end of last season. He is quoted at 10/1 to win the race but would have to end a losing run over fences stretching back to November 2008 if he is to do so.

Nicholls also runs his consistent stayer, Aldertune, who has finished in second place in his last two runs, both at Sandown and has ran up a string of similar performances over the last couple of seasons but the 8 year old has only one chase win to his names and rates a 16/1 chance.

Galaxy Rock pulled up in the Scottish Grand National last week at Ayr but has been supported this week to bounce back to form for trainer, Jonjo O’Neill. He seemed to have a very hard race atAyrwhere he was pulled up before the final fence having raced prominently. Whether he has recovered sufficiently from that is a question that he alone can answer by performance but it raises questions and certainly gives reason for having plenty of doubt about backing him at 10/1.

Le Beau Bai will carry 10-12 and is one that can stay and jump forever and should be suited by the conditions and the course and looks nailed on to at least get into the frame for his trainer Richard Lee.

West End Rocker meanwhile, who looked so impressive when winning the Becher Chase at Aintree back in December, is a lightly raced horse who only got to the second fence in the Grand National. Provided that experience is behind him, he too should feature at the business end of this race and it would surprise to see him win.

Following his second place in the Midland Grand National over 4m2f at Uttoxeter last month, Major Malarkey from the stable of Nigel Twiston-Davies could easily go one better in this. He can handle any ground and if in the mood could make his presence felt off just 10-5, quite a lenient mark based on his last run.

This is a very tough race to call but preference is given to West End Rocker to return to winning ways for trainer Alan King and provide a fitting end to what has been an excellent season for the Wiltshire yard.

Filed under Alan King, Latest Racing News, Sandown, Sandown Gold Cup, Tips Tagged with , , , , , , ,

The Old Whitbread Gold Cup Always Holds A Special Place In The Hearts Of NH Fans

April 19, 2011 Leave a comment

Not only was the Sandown Gold Cup one of the most exciting handicap chases on the National Hunt calendar it was also the first sporting events to ever receive commercial sponsorship in the UK. The sponsors originally were Whitbread, whose famous beer was sold throughout the UK and whose chairman at the time, Colonel Bill Whitbread, was a huge racing fan who had twice ridden as an amateur in the Aintree Grand National. The sponsorship lasted all the way up until 2001, when at which time, Whitbread were no more a trading company. The race is currently sponsored by the Bookmakers, Bet 365 and was previously the .

The first Whitbread Gold Cup took place in 1957 at Sandown Park, where it is still raced today. It is a 3 mile and five furlong arduous handicap, which takes in 24 fences with a stiff uphill finish perfectly designed to test the staying ability of any of its runners.

The winner of that first race was a horse called Much Obliged trained by top trainer, Neville Crump, but over the years if has produced winners of the very highest class and one, Mr Frisk which was to find success in the Grand National, winning both races in 1990.

Amongst those top rated winners were the great Arkle, who took the honours in 1965, just a few months after winning his second Cheltenham Gold Cup. Mill House, Arkle’s great rival and the Gold Cup winner in 1963, won the race as a ten year old in 1967. What A Myth was also a dual winner of the Cheltenham and Whitbread Gold Cups, winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1969 after winning the Whitbread in 1966. Then of course there was the great Desert Orchid, who won the Whitbread in 1988 and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1989. Like Arkle he also was to find glory by winning the Irish Grand National too.

There has been four horses which have won the race twice, the most recent being the Paul Nicholls trained, Ad Hoc, who won in 2001 and 2003, with Ruby Walsh on board. Others which have achieved the feat are Topsham Bay (1992 and 1993), Diamond Edge ( 1979 and 1981) and Larbawn (1968 and 1969).

The leading jockey with the most winners is Ron Barry, with three wins on three different horses between 1971 and 1974. The top trainer with an incredible seven wins is Fulke Walwyn, whose seven different winners came between 1958 and 1974.

In recent times the race has not attracted the same star names that it once did but this long serving race which officially marks the end of the National Hunt season will always hold a place in the hearts of National Hunt fans.

The 2011 Bet365 Gold Cup takes place this Saturday at Sandown Park where the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained, Baby Run is the 6/1 favourite and it’s difficult to oppose this one switching from Hunter Chase company to handicap company with a very attractive mark of just 136.

Filed under National Hunt Races, Sandown Gold Cup Tagged with , ,

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