All 7 of my selections today won which is something of a record! My selections are highlighted in bold. Other horses mentioned are worth considering.
Lingfield
12.50 Heather Royal won over course and distance last month and has a good chance of defying a penalty.
1.20 Kid Cassidy, a winner at the Punchestown festival in May should be too good for his rivals. Darna looks next best.
Sedgefield
1.30 Trustan Times is a former point to point winner who showed fair form in a couple of runs over hurdles at Wetherby. He has the size and scope to make a chaser.
From the Archives
Continuing the Hennessy Gold Cup theme the first ever winner Mandarin returned in 1961 and was successful again. Mandarin was one of the all time greats of Steeplechasing. As well as his 2 Hennessy wins he also won the King George twice and in 1962 won both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris. Part of his diet was to drink a bottle of Mackeson stout every day.
In the years that followed the race was won by some of the biggest names in thye history of the sport. Mill House won in 1963 and his nemesis Arkle won both the 1964 and 1965 renewals before suffering a shock defeat the following year when beaten by the 25/1 shot Stalbridge Colonist. Stalbridge Colonist was no mug though and went on to be placed twice in Cheltenham Gold Cups and was runner up to Rondetto in the 1967 Hennessy.
In 1969 Larbawn was one of the fancied runners having won the Whitbread at Sandown the previous season. Spanish Steps had been the outstanding novice of the previous season while another to attract support was Playlord who had won both the Great Yorkshire Chase and the Scottish Grand National. Lord Jim had finished runner up to Spanish Steps at the Cheltenham Festival in March while the mare Winsome Win had won her last 4 races and carried only 10 stone.
Playlord was brought down when travelling well. Larbawn led over the 4th from home but at the next fence was joined by Spanish Steps and from then on the result was never on doubt with Spanish Steps drawing away to win in a new record time. Larbawn was 2nd and Lord Jim 3rd. Spanish Steps was a standing dish at the Aintree Grand National and was placed in the 1973, 1974 and 1975 races. His dam Tiberetta has also been placed 3 times in the race.
The 1971 Hennessy line up included the dual Gold Cup winner L’Escargot and Grey Sombrero who had won the Midlands National. Grey Sombrero fell as did the favourite Spanish Steps and the race was won by the well handicapped Bighorn at 7/1. L’Escargot went on to win the Grand National in 1975. Grey Sombrero won the 1972 Whitbread but was fatally injured jumping The Chair in the 1973 Grand National at Aintree – the year when Red Rum beat Crisp in arguably the most famous finish in the race’s history.
Nap of the day
Trustan Times
ahorse 