By Charlie McCann
Many Clouds rolled back the years for Lambourn-based trainer Oliver Sherwood, who was collecting his second Hennessy Gold Cup, just 24-years after Arctic Call’s success under Jamie Osbourne back in 1990. The 7-y-o could prove a Gold Cup horse, boasting a similar profile to recent second-season chasers successful in the race en-route to success in NH racing’s ‘Blue Riband’ event such as Denman and Bobs Worth and BetVictor cut the Trevor Hemmings-owned animal to 20/1 (from 40s) for Gold Cup success.
The win was yet another in a stellar year for jockey Leighton Aspell, after the success on Dr Richard Newland’s Pineau De Re in the first ever £1million Crabbies Grand National at Aintree and he is Plumpton bound this afternoon. He rides two for trainer Lucy Wadham with Mistral Reine (1.40) the more appealing of the two and fancied to give a good account in the mares’ handicap hurdle. The 5-y-o looked desperately in need of the run when down the field on her seasonal reappearance last month at Wetherby but has improved for the outing for the past two seasons. Both career successes have come over three miles with Leighton Aspell aboard and the pair can add a third, well-handicapped down at the foot of the weights.
The pair team up with Whispering Speed in the bumper over an extended two and a quarter miles however point-to-point scorer Corner Creek (3.40) is fancied to give a good account under red-hot Richard Johnson. After notching seven winners at Cheltenham‘s Open meeting and followed-up with a treble on Hennessy Day at Newbury, and he can continue his rich vein of form on Michael Scudamore’s 4-y-o, who can build on an excellent second on his debut under rules last month at Carlisle.
Another jockey celebrating a treble at the weekend was Brendan Powell, with three winners on Fighting Fifth day at Newcastle, and he can claim yet another with Siobhans Beauty (12.40) in the opener. The selection won his point-to-point at the fifth time of asking in his native Ireland and made a pleasing debut under rules, finishing second in a Maiden Hurdle there earlier in the Autumn, before moving to Jamie Snowden thereafter. The 6-y-o remains unexposed and should get the better of perennial bridesmaid Civil War and recent runners-up Dusky Lark and Tingo in the Tale.
There’s all-weather action at Kempton where BetVictor sponsor an excellent eight-race card and two potential superstars clashing with John Gosden’s Greatest Hits and Charlie Appleby’s Pathway to Honour (3.50) meeting in the 25 Free at BetVictor Maiden Stakes over a mile. Both well-bred colts finished second on their respective debuts however the Godolphin inmate gets the nod after an excellent run over course and distance three weeks ago. The son of New Approach stayed on strongly to make up plenty of ground in the closing stages and with a run under his belt, can shed the maiden tag at the second attempt under Adam Kirby.
Kirby and Appleby can double up with Holiday Magic (5.20) in the feature 0-85 Download the BetVictor App Now Handicap over seven furlongs. The selection is chasing the four-timer after three successive wins at the track, the latter over course and distance, and the son of Dark Angel can defy a 6lb rise by the handicapper and go in yet again.
Ron Harris is double-handed in the lucky last and his Noverre to Go (5.50) looks the pick of his two runners and can get the better of stable-mate Classic Pursuit. The 8-y-o has dropped to a career-low mark of 70 but the selection was second at the track three starts back and is a dual winner over course and distance From the plumb draw in stall one, it is hoped that William Twiston-Davies can fly out of the traps and make all on the old boy.
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