The 158-rated Aso heads the weights on 11st 12lb for the £130,000 Gr3 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday, 14 November.
Some of Aso’s (Venetia Williams) best performances have come at the Home of Jump Racing, most memorably when second to Frodon in the 2019 G1 Ryanair Chase at The Festival™.
Seven horses have carried top weight to victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, the latest being Al Ferof in 2012 for Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh.
Nicholls’s seven entries this year include Paddy Power’s 6/1 joint-favourite Saint Sonnet (11st 1lb), who has not raced since finishing seventh behind Samcro in the G1 Marsh Novices’ Chase at The Festival™.
A strong team for Nicholls also features yesterday’s G2 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).
Paddy Power’s other market leader Imperial Aura (Kim Bailey) will shoulder a minimum of 11st 11lb, following a comeback success in the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle on 1 November.
The prolific seven-year-old ran three times at Cheltenham last season and ended the campaign with victory in the Listed Northern Trust Company Novices’ Handicap Chase at The Festival™.
Nigel Twiston-Davies is the most successful current trainer in the Paddy Power Gold Cup with four wins. The Gloucestershire handler’s three entries include second season chasers Al Dancer (11st 8lb) and Good Boy Bobby (11st), who have been in winning action this season at Newton Abbot and Bangor respectively.
Happy Diva wins the Gold Cup in 2019
Last year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup heroine Happy Diva (Kerry Lee) has been allotted 11st 5lb. Cyfor Malta (1998 & 2002) is the most recent dual winner of the race, though you have to go back to Bradbury Star in 1993 and 1994 for the latest back-to-back scorer.
Happy Diva almost recorded a famous double at Cheltenham last season when a gallant second to Simply The Betts (Harry Whittington, 11st 11lb) in the G3 Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate at The Festival™.
The nine-year-old mare returned this term with a fifth in a Listed handicap chase at Wetherby on 30 October.
Trainer Kerry Lee 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.
“We were delighted with Wetherby, as she showed every inch of her usual zest and enthusiasm for the game.
“She is a fantastic horse, and we are lucky to have her. She is so consistent and professional – she is just a pleasure to have in the yard.
“It was very special to see her win the Paddy Power Gold Cup and hopefully she can go close again.
“I only train around 20 horses and to be on the biggest stage in the biggest handicap pre-Christmas is very special.
“We are rubbing shoulders with the likes of Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson – what she has done for my career so far is phenomenal and hopefully we can create more memories at Cheltenham later this month.”
Other names to note include Mister Fisher (11st 9lb), one of four entries for Nicky Henderson, and G1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase victor Slate House (Colin Tizzard, 11st 6lb).
Paddy Power Gold Cup – Paddy Power prices: 6/1 Imperial Aura, Saint Sonnet; 7/1 Simply The Betts; 8/1 Greaneteen; 11/1 Cepage; 14/1 Al Dancer, Good Boy Bobby, Mister Fisher, Siruh du Lac; 16/1 bar
For a complete list of Paddy Power prices, please click here: https://rb.gy/ceb6zy
Paddy Power himself said: “We still can’t separate Saint Sonnet and Imperial Aura at the top of the market and the latter arguably put up the most impressive possible trial for the Paddy Power Gold Cup being imperious at Carlisle on Sunday.
“But while Saint Sonnet looks to have a lovely racing weight of 11st 1lb, Imperial Aura has to carry at least 11st 11lb which will be no easy task as only Taquin Du Seuil four years’ ago has defied such a burden in the last 10 runnings.”
Horse Age Wgt Rating Owner Trainer
- Aso (FR) 10 11-12 158 The Bellamy Partnership Venetia Williams
- Simply The Betts (IRE) 7 11-11 157 Kate & Andrew Brooks Harry Whittington
- Imperial Aura (IRE) 7 11-11 157 Imperial Racing Partnership 2016 Kim Bailey
- Greaneteen (FR) 6 11-10 (5lb ex) 151 Chris Giles Paul Nicholls
- Mister Fisher (IRE) 6 11-09 155 James and Jean Potter Nicky Henderson
- Cepage (FR) 8 11-09 155 The Bellamy Partnership Venetia Williams
- Al Dancer (FR) 7 11-08 154 Walters Plant Hire Ltd Nigel Twiston-Davies
- Slate House (IRE) 8 11-06 152 Eric Jones, Geoff Nicholas, John Romans Colin Tizzard
- Happy Diva (IRE) 9 11-05 151 Will Roseff Kerry Lee
- Casablanca Mix (FR) 8 11-04 150 E R Hanbury Nicky Henderson
- Siruh du Lac (FR) 7 11-04 150 John White & Anne Underhill David Pipe
- Grand Sancy (FR) 6 11-03 149 Martin Broughton Racing Partners Paul Nicholls
- Two For Gold (IRE) 7 11-02 148 May We Never Be Found Out Partnership Kim Bailey
- Gold Present (IRE) 10 11-02 148 John & Barbara Cotton Nicky Henderson
- Spiritofthegames (IRE) 8 11-02 148 N W Lake Dan Skelton
- Midnight Shadow 7 11-02 148 Mrs Aafke Clarke Sue Smith
- Master Tommytucker 9 11-01 147 A G Fear Paul Nicholls
- Saint Sonnet (FR) 5 11-01 147 Colm Donlon Paul Nicholls
- Southfield Stone 7 11-00 146 Angela Hart & Angela Yeoman Paul Nicholls
- Good Boy Bobby (IRE) 7 11-00 146 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies
- Domaine de L’Isle (FR) 7 11-00 146 12 Oaks Racing and Ian Hutchins Sean Curran
- Precious Cargo (IRE) 7 10-13 145 T Barr Nicky Henderson
- Vision des Flos (FR) 7 10-13 145 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Colin Tizzard
- Espoir de Guye (FR) 6 10-12 144 Mrs J Hitchings Venetia Williams
- Brelan d’As (FR) 9 10-11 143 John P McManus Paul Nicholls
- Count Meribel 8 10-10 142 Charles C Walker Nigel Twiston-Davies
- Kauto Riko (FR) 9 10-10 142 and Mrs JDale and Partners Tom Gretton
- Fidux (FR) 7 10 10 142 AXOM LXVIII Alan King
- Modus 10 10-09 141 John P McManus Paul Nicholls
- Pinson du Rheu (FR) 9 10-09 141 S Bean Alexandra Dunn
- Belami des Pictons (FR) 9 10-08 140 Hills of Ledbury Ltd Venetia Williams
- The Russian Doyen (IRE) 7 10-06 138 The Gosden Mob Colin Tizzard
- Coole Cody (IRE) 9 10-05 137 W Clifford Evan Williams
- The Bay Birch (IRE) 9 10-04 136 Tony Scrivin Matt Sheppard
- Sky Pirate 7 10-02 134 M Tedham Jonjo O’Neill
- Court Master (IRE) 7 9-09 127 Mrs Lynne Maclennan Michael Scudamore
- Vinnie The Hoddie (IRE) 6 9-09 127 Five Guys & A Striker Syndicate Oliver Sherwood
