Entries are revealed today for the first major contest of the Jump season, the £160,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup, which takes place on the second day of The November Meeting at Cheltenham (Saturday 18th November).
Sponsor Paddy Power has priced up the valuable two and a half mile Premier Handicap chase and makes Stage Star its 6-1 favourite. The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old is no stranger to success at the Home of Jump Racing having landed the Grade One Turners Novices’ Chase at The Festival in March.
Paul Binfield of Paddy Power said: “You know the Jump season is really starting to get into full swing when the entries for the Paddy Power Gold Cup come out and we are thrilled with the quality of this year’s race, which includes a number of exciting young chasers.
“Stage Star heads the market at this early stage. He is proven around Cheltenham and of course his trainer Paul Nicholls is no stranger to Paddy Power Gold Cup success, having saddled Al Ferof (2012) and Caid Du Berlais (2014) to victory.”
Weights for the Paddy Power Gold Cup will be released on Tuesday 31st October.
Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 2m 4f 44y
2.20pm, Cheltenham, Saturday 18th November
Al Dancer (FR) 1 0 Walters Plant Hire Ltd Sam Thomas
Angels Breath (IRE) 9 Walters Plant Hire & Ronnie Bartlett Sam Thomas
Authorized Art (FR) 8 Mr Nick Peacock Willie Mullins Ireland
Barnacullia (IRE) 6 Clearys Syndicate Michael Mulvany Ireland
Black Gerry (IRE) 8 Mrs M. Devine Gary Moore
Chemical Energy (IRE) 7 Caldwell Construction Ltd Gordon Elliott Ireland
Complete Unknown (IRE) 7 JCG Chua & I Warwick Paul Nicholls
Datsalrightgino (GER) 7 The GD Partnership Jamie Snowden
Do Your Job (IRE) 9 Mr Mark Dunphy Lucinda Russell
Easy As That (IRE) 8 Brooks & Taylor Families Venetia Williams
Final Orders 7 C. M. D. Syndicate Gavin Cromwell Ireland
Frero Banbou (FR) 8 Mr P. Davies Venetia Williams
Fugitif (FR) 8 Mr Carl Hinchy & Dr Emad Hussain Richard Hobson
Galia des Liteaux (FR) 7 Mr Michael Ariss Dan Skelton
Harper's Brook (IRE) 7 The Megsons Ben Pauling
Heltenham (FR) 6 Exors of the late Mr N. W. Lake Dan Skelton
Hitman (FR) 7 Mason, Hogarth, Ferguson & Done Paul Nicholls
Il Ridoto (FR) 6 Giles, Hogarth, Mason & McGoff Paul Nicholls
Lord Baddesley (IRE) 8 Mr Richard & Mrs Carol Cheshire Chris Gordon
Minella Drama (IRE) 8 Green Day Racing Donald McCain
Mr Saxobeat (IRE) 7 Roberto Syndicate Tom Gibney Ireland
My Drogo 8 Mr & Mrs R. Kelvin-Hughes Dan Skelton
Notlongtillmay 7 Mr Alan Rogers Laura Morgan
Richmond Lake (IRE) 7 Hemmings Racing Donald McCain
Sebastopol (IRE) 9 C & C Boultbee Brooks Tom Lacey
Shakem Up'arry (IRE) 9 Mr Harry Redknapp Ben Pauling
Stage Star (IRE) 7 Owners Group 044 Paul Nicholls
Stolen Silver (FR) 8 Walters Plant Hire & Potter Group Sam Thomas
The Real Whacker (IRE) 7 Neville, Mann, Duffus, Dennis-Price Patrick Neville
Torn And Frayed (FR) 9 Mrs Caroline Beresford-Wylie Nigel Twiston-Davies
Unexpected Party (FR) 8 O'Reilly MacLennan Tynan Carthy Shanahan Dan Skelton
Whistleinthedark (IRE) 8 Racing On Together Club Laura Morgan
Zhiguli (IRE) 8 Druzhba Racing Partnership Gary Moore
34 entries (1 not qualified)
5 Irish-trained
Not Qualified: Hometown Boy (IRE)
Paddy Power odds:
6-1 Stage Star
8-1 My Drogo
10-1 Unexpected Party. Datsalrightgino, Fugitif
12-1 The Real Whacker
14-1 Final Orders, Hitman, Notlongtillmay, Il Ridoto, Galia des Liteaux
16-1 Authorized Art, Shakem UpArry, Richmond Lake
20-1 Do Your Job, Easy As That, Al Dancer, Stolen Silver, Chemical Energy, Whistleinthedark, Complete Unknown, Black Gerry
25-1 Frero Banbou, Heltenham, Angels Breath, Minella Drama
33-1 Sebastopol, Harpers Brook. Mr Saxobeat, Zhiguli, Torn And Frayed, Lord Baddesley
50-1 Barnacullia
