The first three from the BetVictor Gold Cup - Happy Diva, Brelan D'As and Warthog - feature among 38 entries revealed today for the £130,000 G3 Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday, 14 December, day two of The International.

Happy Diva was brought down when going well in the 2018 BetVictor Gold Cup, but gained rich compensation in the prestigious G3 handicap chase earlier this month with a battling success under conditional rider Richard Patrick.

The eight-year-old mare has the chance to become the fourth horse to win both the BetVictor Gold Cup and Caspian Caviar Gold Cup in the same season, following Pegwell Bay (1988), Senor El Betrutti (1997) and Exotic Dancer (2006).

Trainer Kerry Lee said: "Happy Diva has come out of the BetVictor Gold Cup in good form.

"We were delighted with the performance and it was fantastic to see her win a big race like that.

"She has been entered in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup and that race is a possible target.

"At this stage, the race is an option and we will make a firm decision nearer the time."

Richard Patrick holds the BetVictor Gold Cup following Happy Diva's success

 

Cepage chased home subsequent G1 Ryanair Chase hero Frodon in last year's Caspian Caviar Gold Cup and the seven-year-old will attempt to go one better.

Trained by Venetia Williams, Cepage did not race for the remainder of last season, but reappeared this term with a good second behind Riders Onthe Storm (Nigel Twiston-Davies) in a valuable handicap chase at Aintree on 9 November. 

Williams said: "Cepage shaped really well at Aintree when finishing second.

"He had been off the track for 11 months after sustaining a tendon injury last year in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup. That race is again the plan with him.

"He has run some great races in defeat and it would be great if he could get his head in front in a race like this."

Frodon's trainer Paul Nicholls is the most successful handler in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup with five wins. Aside from Brelan D'As, Nicholls has also engaged impressive Ascot scorer Capeland, Secret Investor and Magic Saint.

Nicky Henderson has seven entries, the most of any trainer. They include O O Seven, who has not been seen since plundering a valuable handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival, and talented mare Casablanca Mix.

Willie Mullins is responsible for both of the Irish-trained entries - multiple G2 victor Acapella Bourgeois and second season chaser Robin des Foret.

Guitar Pete (Nicky Richards) landed the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup in 2017 and could attempt to become the third multiple winner of the race, following Poquelin (2009 & 2010) and Frodon (2016 & 2018).

Other eye-catching entries include Kalashnikov (Amy Murphy), a G1-winning novice last season, and Keeper Hill (Warren Greatrex), who captured a graduation chase at Haydock Park on 23 November.

The weights for the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup will be released at noon on Wednesday, 4 December.

Day two of The International also features the £140,000 G2 Unibet International Hurdle, a leading trial for the G1 Unibet Champion Hurdle at The Festival™ presented by Magners in March.

The Caspian Caviar Gold Cup

G3 handicap chase, £130,000 total prize fund. Saturday, December 14. Two miles, four and a half furlongs. For four-year-olds and upwards. Penalties: after December 1, a winner of a chase 5lb. Entries closed November 26, entries revealed November 27 (38 entries). Weights revealed December 4. Five-day confirmations December 9, final declarations December 12. Maximum field 17 runners plus two reserves.

Name	Age	Owner	Trainer
Acapella Bourgeois (FR)	9	Slaneyville Syndicate	Willie Mullins IRE
Azzerti (FR)	7	McNeill Family and Prodec Networks Ltd	Alan King
Benatar (IRE)	7	Ashley Head	Gary Moore
Brelan d'As (FR)	8	J P McManus	Paul Nicholls
Capeland (FR)	7	Mrs Kathy Stuart	Paul Nicholls
Casablanca Mix (FR)	7	E R Hanbury	Nicky Henderson
Cepage (FR)	7	The Bellamy Partnership	Venetia Williams
Clondaw Castle (IRE)	7	J French, D McDermott, S Nelson, T Syder	Tom George
Didero Vallis (FR)	6	Lady Bolton	Venetia Williams
Divine Spear (IRE)	8	Middleham Park Racing LXII	Nicky Henderson
Eamon An Cnoic (IRE)	8	The Angove Family	David Pipe
Generous Day (IRE)	7	R G Whitehead	Henry Oliver
Go Long (IRE)	9	William & Angela Rucker	Evan Williams
Good Man Pat (IRE)	6	David Sewell	Alan King
Guitar Pete (IRE)	9	Mrs Pat Sloan	Nicky Richards
Happy Diva (IRE)	8	Will Roseff	Kerry Lee
Highway One O One (IRE)	7	Anthony Ward-Thomas	Chris Gordon
Imperial Presence (IRE)	8	Sir Christopher & Lady Wates	Philip Hobbs
Kalashnikov (IRE)	6	Paul Murphy	Amy Murphy
Keeper Hill (IRE)	8	McNeill Family	Warren Greatrex
Knocknanuss (IRE)	9	Hail Sargent Evans	Gary Moore
Kobrouk (FR)	8	John & Barbara Cotton	Nicky Henderson
Lalor (GER)	7	D G Staddon	Kayley Woollacott
Magic Saint (FR)	5	John & Barbara Cotton	Paul Nicholls
Molineaux (IRE)	8	John and Heather Snook	Colin Tizzard
Not That Fuisse (FR)	6	Colm Donlon	Dan Skelton
O O Seven (IRE)	9	Christopher Hanbury	Nicky Henderson
Rather Be (IRE)	8	Eventmasters Racing	Nicky Henderson
Riders Onthe Storm (IRE)	6	Carl Hinchy and Mark Scott	Nigel Twiston-Davies
Robin des Foret (IRE)	9	Byerley Racing Syndicate	Willie Mullins IRE
Secret Investor	7	Hills of Ledbury (Aga)	Paul Nicholls
Sky Pirate	6	Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford	Jonjo O'Neill
Spiritofthegames (IRE)	7	N W Lake	Dan Skelton
The Bay Birch (IRE)	8	Tony Scrivin	Matt Sheppard
Theinval (FR)	9	Mr & Mrs Sandy Orr	Nicky Henderson
Vaniteux (FR)	10	C R Leech	Sophie Leech
Warthog (FR)	7	Professor Caroline Tisdall & Bryan Drew	David Pipe
Wenyerreadyfreddie (IRE)	8	M Landau & J Lightfoot	Nicky Henderson

 

38 entries

2 Irish-trained