WEEKEND REVIEW: DENMAN WILL defend his impressive unbeaten record at Newbury in the Aon Chase in February – his sole outing before the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The gelding, owned by Harry Findlay and Paul Barber, became the first horse since Arkle – and only the third in history – to win two Hennessy Gold Cups when humping 11st 12lb to beat stablemate What A Friend by three and a half lengths.
Paul Nicholls’ nine-year-old brought the house down as he fought back under Ruby Walsh after being just headed at the second last to score a decisive victory at Newbury on Saturday.
“We were thinking of going to Ireland (for the Lexus Chase) but we won’t now he’s won,” said Findlay. “It appears we’ll go straight to the Aon and that suits us fine. It means one less race to worry about.”
Nicholls added: “If we lost that meeting (to the weather), he’d go straight to the Gold Cup.
“We’ve been from hell and back last year but for him to come through in that sort of form was really, really good.
“I would have been well happy if he’d have run fourth and fifth, but Denman was at his very best.”
Of What A Friend, Nicholls said: “He’s a little bit quirky and he’s going to win a big race one day. He’s only six – he’s still a baby – but there’s lot to look forward to with him.”
Denman and stablemate Kauto Star have dominated the Gold Cup over the past two years, and there is widespread fervour over which will emerge triumphant in what many see as the heavyweight decider in March.
“It’s all about Paul Nicholls getting them both there and that’s what everyone is hoping for,” said Findlay. “What’s surprised me about Denman is that his breeding is that of a two-and-a-half-mile horse, but he’s got so much character and he loves a battle.
“When What A Friend jinked a bit, I knew we had him.”
Speaking yesterday, Nicholls said was “as bright as a button”.
Of the Gold Cup contest, he said: “One horse likes really good ground, one likes really soft ground, but they both go on either, so if it was midway, I wouldn’t know what to say.”
“The biggest headache will be Ruby Walsh’s, as he’ll have to make a decision. It will make things very interesting.”
Washington Irving outclassed his rivals, with Denis O’Regan on board, on his jumping debut in the Novices Hurdle at Carlisle yesterday. Bought for 300,000 guineas out of Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle yard, he is now trained by Howard Johnson and one of his best efforts on the flat was when finishing fifth, beaten just over seven lengths by the winner New Approach, in the 2008 Epsom Derby.
Very heavy ground didn’t bother the even-money favourite and he cantered to score by 15 lengths from Oil Burner, who got up close home to snatch second place. William Hill are now quoting the gelding at 16 to 1 for both the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Ballymore Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
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