Kylemore Lough and Romain De Senam among entries for The November Meeting feature BetVictor Gold Cup

 

Wednesday, November 1, 2017 - G1 winner Kylemore Lough and progressive second-season chaser Romain De Senam headline 45 entries for this year's BetVictor Gold Cup, the £160,000 highlight of The November Meeting at Cheltenham on Saturday, November 18.

 

They are 10/1 joint-favourites with BetVictor for the extended two and a half-mile handicap chase, with Kylemore Lough having joined trainer Harry Fry in the summer after winning the G1 Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse in April, 2016.

 

Kylemore Lough finished fifth on both his appearances at Cheltenham last season, including in the G3 Caspian Caviar Gold Cup Handicap Chase at The International in December, and came home fourth on his latest appearance in the G1 JLT Melling Chase at Aintree in April.

 

Dorset-based Fry reported: "Kylemore Lough is very well and will head straight to the BetVictor Gold Cup, all being well.

 

"There are still two and a half weeks to go, but we are happy with his progress and looking forward to the race."

 

Romain De Senam, beaten a head in the G3 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at The Festival in 2016, has enjoyed a fine start to his second campaign over fences, winning handicap chases at Chepstow and Stratford in October.

 

The five-year-old features among nine contenders from the stable of Paul Nicholls and the Somerset handler could also be represented by Le Prezien (14/1), who went down by a neck to Foxtail Hill (20/1, Nigel Twiston-Davies) in the Randox Health Handicap Chase at The Showcase on October 28.

 

G1 JLT Novices' Chase fourth Politologue (25/1), last season's G3 Caspian Caviar Gold Cup winner Frodon (33/1) and San Benedeto (16/1), successful in the G1 Doom Bar Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree in April, also feature among a strong team from Nicholls, who has won the BetVictor Gold Cup with Al Ferof (2012) and Caid Du Berlais (2014).

 

Gold Present (16/1) one of three entries from champion Jump trainer Nicky Henderson, was second in the Listed Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase in March, while Double Treasure (16/1, Jamie Snowden) won the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Novices' Chase at The Showcase on October 28.

 

Cloudy Dream (14/1, Malcolm Jefferson) found only Altior six lengths too strong in the G1 Racing Post Arkle Novices' Chase at The Festival in March. The Trevor Hemmings-owned seven-year-old made a pleasing return to action when chasing home Smad Place in the G2 188Bet Monet's Garden Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase at Aintree on October 29.

 

Irish-trained horses have won the BetVictor Gold Cup five times, most recently thanks to Tranquil Sea in 2009, and the seven contenders for this year's race include Tully East (20/1) who beat Gold Present in the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase, run over the same course and distance as the BetVictor Gold Cup, at The Festival 2017.  

 

The seven-year-old, trained in County Kildare by Alan Fleming, was pulled up in a valuable handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival in April and returned to action at the same course on October 18, coming home fourth in a rated hurdle.

 

Fleming revealed: "The BetVictor Gold Cup is very much the aim for Tully East.

 

"He was a little rusty for his reappearance over hurdles at Punchestown earlier this month, but he finished off his race really good and we were very happy with him.

 

"He came home happy after that run and we will give him a good school over fences before going to Cheltenham.

 

"It was a fantastic win at Cheltenham last season. We were disappointed when he ran next time at Punchestown. I don't know exactly what happened that day - he either dropped his hind leg into a fence or jumped into a fence.

 

"The horse did well over the summer and came back in happy. He ran with plenty of life the other day."

 

Other Irish-trained entries include Ballycasey (20/1, Willie Mullins), a G1 winner over fences, plus G2 Gowran Park Champion Chase scorer A Toi Phil (14/1) and G1 Punchestown chase third Ball D'Arc (20/1), who are both trained by Gordon Elliott.

 

Charlie McCann, Head of PR & Communications at BetVictor, said: "We are delighted with the quantity and quality of entries for the second BetVictor Gold Cup with many of the leading yards on both sides of the Irish Sea represented.

 

"It promises to be a vintage renewal of this valuable and iconic handicap and we bet 10/1 the field."

 

Weights for the BetVictor Gold Cup, which has a maximum field of 20, are unveiled on Wednesday, November 8.

 

The BetVictor Gold Cup

Grade 3 handicap chase, £160,000 total prize fund . Cheltenham, Saturday, November 18. Two miles, four and a half furlongs (2m 4f 78y). For four-year-olds and upwards. Penalties: after November 5, a winner of a chase 5lb. Entries closed October 31, entries revealed November 1 (45 entries). Weights revealed November 8. Five-day confirmation stage November 13, final declarations November 16. Maximum field size 20 runners plus 2 reserves.

 

45 entries

7 Irish-trained

 

BetVictor Gold Cup - BetVictor bet:

10/1 Kylemore Lough

10/1 Romain de Senam

14/1 A Toi Phil

14/1 Cloudy Dream

14/1 Le Prezien

16/1 Art Mauresque

16/1 Double Treasure

16/1 Gold Present

16/1 San Benedeto

20/1 Ball d'Arc

20/1 Ballybolley

20/1 Ballycasey

20/1 Belami Des Pictons

20/1 Days Of Heaven

20/1 Foxtail Hill

20/1 Garde La Victoire

20/1 Sametagal

20/1 Top Gamble

20/1 Tully East

20/1 Viconte De Noyer

25/1 Ballotin

25/1 Ballyalton

25/1 Clan Des Obeaux

25/1 Go Conquer

25/1 Plaisir D'amour

25/1 Politilogue

25/1 Starchitect

25/1 Theinval

25/1 Traffic Fluide

25/1 Waiting Patiently

33/1 Aqua Dude

33/1 Aso

33/1 Bentelimar

33/1 Bouvreuil

33/1 Dandridge

33/1 Frodon

33/1 Kylecrue

33/1 Lake Takapuna

33/1 Master Dee

33/1 Minella Present

33/1 Quite By Chance

33/1 Splash Of Ginge

33/1 Zamdy Man

40/1 Guitar Pete

40/1 Mystifiable

1/4 the odds, 1-2-3-4

 

Entries for the other G3 highlight at The November Meeting, the £100,000 Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle staged on Sunday, November 19, will be revealed tomorrow, Thursday, November 2.

 

There are three days of quality action during The November Meeting at Cheltenham, which starts on Friday, November 17, Countryside Day, continues on Saturday, November 18, BetVictor Gold Cup Day, and concludes on Sunday, November 19, The November Meeting Sunday.

 

Cheltenham Racecourse

Cheltenham Racecourse is situated in Prestbury on the northern outskirts of the historic spa town of Cheltenham.

         

The Home of Jump Racing, Cheltenham Racecourse is the venue for the world's pre-eminent Jump meeting.

 

The Festival, which happens in March over four days every year, next takes place in 2018 from Tuesday, March 13, to Friday, March 16, 2018 inclusive and tickets are on sale.

 

Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cotswolds, Cheltenham Racecourse is a stunning natural arena and offers the highest-quality action throughout the Jump season.

 

More information is available at  www.cheltenham.co.uk  and through Twitter (@CheltenhamRaces), Facebook  www.facebook.com/thehomeofjumpracing   and Instagram (@CheltenhamRaces).

 

About The Jockey Club

Cheltenham is part of The Jockey Club which stages thrilling sporting occasions including The Randox Health Grand National, The Cheltenham Festival and The Investec Derby.

 

Millions of people every year enjoy the special experiences The Jockey Club offers through racing, music, food and entertainment. Governed by Royal Charter, every penny made goes back into British Racing to help the sport thrive.

 

The Jockey Club was founded in 1750 and today is the largest commercial group in Britain's second-biggest spectator sport, operating 15 racecourses nationwide, The National Stud, Jockey Club Estates, Jockey Club Catering, Jockey Club Live and the charity, Racing Welfare. For more information, visit

www.thejockeyclub.co.uk

 

If you need any information about racing at Cheltenham, please contact Sarah Jane Muirie, Communications Manager - Jockey Club Racecourses South West, on 01242 537 683 or   sarahjane.muirie@thejockeyclub.co.uk