As the racing world looks forward to the return of Denman in the Aon Chase at Newbury next month betting on the Cheltenham Gold Cup has been hotting up in his prolonged absence and Stan James punters have latched onto the sensational win of Kauto Star in the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day and have backed the nine-year-old from 4/1 to 11/4 for a second Gold Cup success.
No horse has ever regained the Gold Cup crown but many Kauto Star fans who backed the horse as if defeat was out of the question at Kempton (10/11 from 6/4) have played up their winnings on the Gold Cup, but three-and-a-quarter miles around Cheltenham is a totally different test than that met with such relish by Kauto Star over Kempton's flat three-miles and history is against the Clive Smith owned nine-year-old at the Festival.
Denman remains the 13/8 favourite with Stan James for the Gold Cup and if turning up in the same form as he did at Prestbury Park last season he will tale a world of beating. Much has been written about his health scare and there is no doubt that he has given Team Nicholls every indication he is as good as ever on the home gallops, but will he ever recapture the brilliance on the track of his 2008 Gold Cup win?
Punters wishing to back on the Gold Cup are faced with a dilemma ahead of Denman's Newbury reappearance. Do they take the 13/8 on offer with Stan James or do they wait and watch the Aon Chase in the knowledge that Denman will have the bookies running scared if he puts up a performance similar to last year's first-time-out demolition of a quality field under top-weight in the Hennessy Gold Cup. Given that scenario Denman will surely be cut to Evens or perhaps a shade of odds on but given the nature of his health scare can he ever be the same horse that broke the heart of Kauto Star in 2008?
Stan James make a third Paul Nicholls' trained runner Neptune Collonges the 6/1 third favourite. The grey was only beaten a short head by Kauto Star when taking minor honours in last year's Gold Cup but he has only been seen out twice subsequently.
He was much too good for the best of the Irish Chasers in the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown last April before, uncharacteristically, falling two out on his reappearance in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Xmas. He had yet to shake off the attentions of a, seemingly, rejuvenated Exotic Dancer (14s for the Gold Cup with Stan James) but Ruby Walsh had yet to ask him a serious question and the fall deprived us of what could well have been one of the races of the season.
The pair are likely to meet again next month in the Irish Hennessy and I fully expect Neptune Collonges to gain his third Grade 1 triumph on Irish soil although at this stage in his development he remains a close third in the pecking order at Ditcheat.
Having been a big fan of War Of Attrition (25/1 with Stan James) I was slightly disappointed with his Leopardstown run behind Exotic Dancer (would have been a moderate third save the fall of Neptune Collonges) but it was his fourth quick run on ground too soft and we will see a different animal on good ground at Cheltenham. We will not see him again until the Big One in March.
Alberta's Run looks a thorough stayer and though he lacks the class of Denman or Kauto Star I could see him running into a place as long as the ground is good or better. Although well held at behind Kauto Star last time he ran on extremely well to take second and last year's Sun Alliance Chase winner will appreciate the stiffer test of stamina at Cheltenham. It is no surprise that he has been well supported with Stan James in recent days and is now 16/1 from 20s.
Latest prices from Stan James:
Cheltenham Gold Cup: EW 1/4 1, 2, 3:
Denman 13/8
Kauto Star 11/4
Neptune Collonges 6/1
Exotic Dancer 14/1
Alberta's Run 16/1
Air Force One 20/1
Star De Mohaison 25/1
War Of Attrition 25/1
Big Bucks 25/1
Imperial Commander 25/1
33/1 Bar
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