Festival hopefuls to line up this weekend
KIM Bailey has ruled Imperial Aura out of both Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Ladbrokes Trophy.
Imperial Aura was a leading fancy for the big handicap at Cheltenham after his emphatic win at in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle recently - but Bailey feels this weekend’s race will come too soon.
The Andoversford trainer has announced he will not run Imperial Aura in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury on November 28 either.
He does, however, have a couple of races in mind for the exciting sevenyear-old - who ended the last campaign with victory in the novices’ handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Bailey wrote on his website: “The weights for the Ladbroke Chase came out and we have three entries - Imperial Aura, who will not run, while Vinndication and Two For Gold will remain in the race for the foreseeable future so that we can assess how they have come out of their recent races.
“Imperial Aura will not be running in the Paddy Power at Cheltenham next weekend. It is too soon after his stunning win last Sunday at Carlisle.
“There are other races for him that might suit - Ascot on the 21st of November, the Chanelle Pharma Chase, and then there is the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on December 6.”
But Happy Diva is ready to defend her crown. The Kerry Lee-trained mare proved a neck too strong for Brelan D’AS 12 months ago, and went close to a Cheltenham double when second to Simply The Betts in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase in March.
The nine-year-old was fifth on her return to action in a Listed handicap chase at Wetherby last week.
Bradbury Star was the last back-toback winner of the feature race at Cheltenham’s November meeting, in 1993 and 1994, but Lee reports her stable star - allotted 11st 5lb - in good order.
She said: “Happy Diva has come out of Wetherby in fine fettle. She will come on plenty for that run, and the Paddy Power Gold Cup is once again the aim.
“It was very special to see her win the Paddy Power Gold Cup, and hopefully she can go close again.”
The Venetia Williams-trained Aso heads the weights on 11st 12lb for the £130,000 contest, while Nicholls’ seven entries this year include Saint Sonnet (11st 1lb), who has not raced since finishing seventh behind Samcro in the Marsh Novices’ Chase at the Festival.
A strong team for Nicholls also features Haldon Gold Cup victor Greaneteen (11st 5lb ex 5lb penalty), recent Chepstow scorer Grand Sancy (11st 3lb) and last year’s runner-up Brelan D’AS (10st 11lb).
Nigel Twiston-davies is the most successful current trainer in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, with four wins. The Naunton handler’s three entries include Al Dancer (11st 8lb) and Good Boy Bobby (11st), who have won this season at Newton Abbot and Bangor respectively.
Harry Whittington’s Simply The Betts (11st 11lb) could face Happy Diva again - with other names to note including Mister Fisher (11st 9lb), one of four entries for Nicky Henderson, and Kauto Star Novices’ Chase victor Slate House (Colin Tizzard, 11st 6lb).