My selections are in bold type – other horses mentioned in the write ups are also worthy of consideration.
Doncaster
12.50 War Poet won a couple of 12 furlong handicaps on the flat at Thirsk. He was 4th of 5 on his hurdles debut at Haydock but should have learned from that experience.
2.35 Accordingtolawrence won a couple of novice hurdles last season and has reportedly schooled well over fences.
Musselburgh
2.25 Vosges won both his starts at this track over hurdles.
Newbury
1.35 By far the most interesting race of the day. Cue Card is having his third start over fences after winning on his debut only to unseat his rider next time out. Much was expected of Coral Cup winner Spirit River last season but he fell on both his starts over fences. Bobs Worth is unbeaten over hurdles (4 from 4) and ended last season by winning the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.
2.45 Arctic Court makes a rare visit to the South. His trainer does well in this sort of race. Sivola de Sivola ran a blinder when runner up to Spirit Son at Huntingdon and won twice at Perth and Carlisle. He acts on any ground and was a respectable 5th at Cheltenham earlier this month.
3.50 Basil Fawlty, Broomfield and Mono Man make most appeal. Basil Fawlty showed promise when 5th in a bumper at Kempton last season but has not been able to build on that in two runs this season. Broomfield ran well in a couple of bumpers at Newbury last season and should go well but preference if for Mono Man who won bumpers at Hereford and Ascot last season and is rated highly by his trainer.
Nap of the day – Mono Man
Dark horse – Accordingtolawrence
From the archives
There have been some top class winners of the Hennessy Gold Cup but few better than Burrough Hill Lad who won the 1984 race for trainer Jenny Pitman. Burrough Hill Lad became only the 3rd horse to win the race as defending Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, the others being Mill House and Arkle (twice).
Paul Nicholls has had some notable successes in the race as a trainer but he also won twice as a jockey, on Broadheath in 1986 and Playschool the following season. Both horses were trained by David Barons.
The field for the 1991 race included Garrison Savannah, another Jenny Pitman favourite who was the reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup winner. Docklands Express trained by Kim Bailey was expected to go well having won the Racing Post Chase and the Whitbread, albeit on a disqualification in the latter race. Usually a safe jumper he had fallen at the first in the Grand National that year. The giant Party Politics was a rising star while Chatam represented Martin Pipe. He had won the Cathcart Chase at Cheltenham but had been off the course for 233 days. As often the case with horses from the Pipe stable the long layoff didn’t stop Chatam who travelled well throughout and won by 4 lengths from Party Politics who was staying on well at the finish. Docklands Express came 3rd. Both the placed horses continued to run well as the season unfolded. Party Politics jumped superbly to win the Grand National while Docklands Express was placed in King George, the Gold Cup and the Grand National.
The winner in 1994 was the wonderful grey One Man ridden by Tony Dobbin. There were many more big races to follow for this popular horse who won the King George twice, on the second occasion at Sandown where the race had been re-routed. One Man never managed to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup where he just lacked the stamina but in 1998 he dropped down in trip to land the 2 mile Champion Chase. It was to prove his last win as the following month he was killed at Aintree. A sad end to a glittering career.
Turf trivia
Current champion flat jockey Paul Hannigan was champion apprentice in 2002 with 84 winners.
Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.
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