Parrain Tops List For Paddy Power Gold Cup

Cheltenham’s Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase (November 12) looks very much the highlight of a tremendous Cheltenham Open meeting that well and truly signals the National Hunt season has hit full stride, and it comes as no surprise to see the Paul Nicholls-trained Mon Parrain as a strong 5/1 ante-post favourite for the race after a couple of outstanding efforts last term, writes Elliot Slater.

The five-year-old proved himself a very capable performer in his native France before joining Nicholls at the beginning of March and was given only 10 days to settle in by his new handler before being sent to Sandown Park to contest a competitive three-mile handicap chase. The result was a sensation as Mon Parrain toyed with the opposition (appearing to race in no more than third gear all the way), and jumped impeccably before coming home hard held to score by 22-lengths from the decent sort Appleaday. Those looking at the Cheltenham Open meeting betting will have been impressed.

Less than four weeks later Nicholls took the bold step of throwing the gelded son of Trempolino into the hurly bury of the John Smith’s Topham Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree and the youngster put up a superb performance, jumping accurately and travelling strongly throughout before coming through to lead two from home. He appeared to have the race in the bag until the infamous long run-in and the concession of 17lbs to race specialist Always Waining got the better of him and he was caught inside the final furlong, going down to a four-length defeat but flagging up his immense talent for all to see.

A sign of the regard in which this horse is held is that he was the work companion at Exeter racecourse recently for both Kauto Star and Big Buck’s, and off just 10st 5lbs in the ‘Paddy Power’ he must have an outstanding chance of justifying favouritism before going on to even bigger and better things later this term.