Doubts linger over Denman fitness

Published on Friday 27 November 2009 22:51

DENMAN'S presence at the top of the weights for the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury poses quite a question for punters this afternoon. Obviously when 100 per cent, Paul Nicholls' 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner could gallop all over his rivals, regardless of their respective weights.

But after suffering a well-documented heart problem last year, doubts remain over Denman and it could pay to side with Howard Johnson's well-weighted Killyglen.

Certainly, Denman's owner Harry Findlay – one of the biggest punters in the country – has admitted that he will not be backing his pride and joy to repeat his fantastic win in the race two years ago. And in a typically frank appraisal, the professional gambler believes today's race will tell everybody whether or not the nine-year-old is still the force of old.

"That's one of the great things about Denman, I think we will know quite quickly how we stand after about five or six fences – we will either be really short or a big price (in-running]," said Findlay. "I had a decent bet two years ago when he won, but I won't be having a bet tomorrow. It's a big day for Denman, we'll either have him back and he'll be a contender for everything or maybe it's over. We'll find out tomorrow exactly where we stand.

"He's never looked anything but good there (Newbury] and if he wasn't putting in a good run tomorrow, I think we would be in trouble. I won't be lumping on, but on the other hand I don't want to put anyone off. Paul Barber (co-owner] virtually lives with him and is very, very happy with him. He schooled very well on the indoor circuit on Thursday."

Recent statistics suggest the Hennessy is a race for up-and-coming stars, and Killyglen fits the bill perfectly after a novice campaign that saw him win three out of four starts in the 2008-9 season, including the Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree on his final outing.

His only disappointment came when he was upped in class for the RSA Chase, where he fluffed a couple of fences and his jockey accepted the inevitable.

The seven-year-old was sent off favourite to make a winning return at Carlisle but, giving weight away all round, he found it tough going and had to give best to Knockara Beau.

Killyglen is bound to have improved from that outing, though, and the step back up to three miles from two and a half can only be in his favour, with Denman facing a very stiff task.

Big Buck's proved a massive flop in the big race on this day last year, but that last-fence blunder saw him switched back to hurdles which proved the making of him. Nicholls' runner dominated the staying division, winning four times on the bounce including the World Hurdle at Cheltenham and Aintree's stayers' prize. The six-year-old will be having his first start of the year but he has run well first time up before and his lack of an outing should not prove a problem in the sportingbet.com Long Distance Hurdle.

Binocular currently dominates the ante-post market for the Champion Hurdle but his major rival Solwhit is taken to steal the advantage at Newcastle.

The five-year-old proved something of a revelation last season, graduating from a Fairyhouse handicap win through to Grade One success. He won a particularly strong renewal of the Aintree Hurdle last April and proved that was no fluke by going on to beat Champion Hurdle winner Punjabi at Punchestown.

Charles Byrnes' charge prevailed by just a short head that day but had a little more in hand when landing another top-level success on his seasonal bow.

He showed plenty of acceleration to win a Punchestown Grade One and defeat the well-touted Hurricane Fly in the process, and he is certainly race-fit coming here.

Solwhit will definitely have that extra edge and is more than good enough to topple Binocular.

Toby Jug has thrived since joining Sarah Humphrey's team and he can land the Wbxtriplecrown.com Rehearsal Chase Handicap, while Basalt looks a class act on the all-weather in Lingfield's Marsh Green Handicap

Quince has been knocking on the door in his last two starts but his turn can come in the wolverhampton-racecourse.co.uk Claiming Stakes at Dunstall Park with the similarly-named Squinch taken to score in the EBF "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle Qualifier at Towcester.

Kieren Fallon is an interesting booking as Re Barolo returns to a mile for the first time in over a year in the Hyde Stakes at Kempton tomorrow.