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Cooper Hands Forpadydeplasterer a Cheltenham Assignment
10/11/10
Forpadydeplasterer heads to Cheltenham for an exciting renewal of the £50,000 Sinbad Testimonial 2010/2011 Chase (1.45pm), which brings together a select bunch of crack two-milers on Sunday, November 14.
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The Tom Cooper-trained top-class chaser makes his seasonal return in the two-mile contest, having finished runner-up in each of his five starts last season, including when six lengths behind Big Zeb in the Grade One Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase over the course and distance at The Festival in March.
Forpadydeplasterer boasts top-class winning form over two miles at Cheltenham too, with a battling triumph over Kalahari King in the Grade One The Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase at The Festival in 2009, the highlight of his career to date.
Cooper revealed this morning: “Forpadydeplasterer is going to Cheltenham on Sunday. He had a good summer off, all has gone well with him since he came back and I am very happy with him.
“This is a nice race to start him off in. He goes there without a penalty and he has always run well at Cheltenham. Good to soft ground will be fine for him.
“The plan this year is to step him up to three miles, so after this we will go to Kempton with him for the King George at Christmas.”
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Nicholls could also saddle Tataniano, who proved himself a top-class novice with a Grade Two victory in The Independent Newspaper Novices’ Chase over the course and distance at The Open last year, before going on to clinch a Grade One triumph at Aintree in April.
Also among the 14 entries are Nicky Henderson’s high-class charge Petit Robin and the smart performers Consigliere, Chaninbar, Mahogany Blaze, Oiseau De Nuit, Oh Crick, I’msingingtheblues and Moon Over Miami.
Nick Williams could run Gauvain, who was last seen in public winning an extended two-mile novice chase by six lengths from Chapoturgeon at Cheltenham in April, 2009, for his former trainer Charlie Mann.
The £100,000 Grade Three Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (2.20pm) headlines Sunday’s thrilling six-race card, while other highlights include the £30,000 Grade Two The Independent Newspaper Novices’ Chase (1.10pm) and the £25,000 Grade Two Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle (3.30pm).
The Open commences on Friday, November 12, with six enthralling races, including the £25,000 Grade Two Cheltenham Collection Novices’ Hurdle (1.50pm), the £40,000 Paddypower.com Handicap Chase (2.25pm), and the £25,000 Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeplechase (3pm) over Cheltenham’s unique cross country course.
Saturday’s excellent six-race card features the £150,000 Grade Three BetVictor Gold Cup (2.35pm) and also includes the £25,000 Grade Two JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (12.50pm) and the £50,000 Grade Three Morson Group Handicap Chase (1.50pm) over an extended three miles and three furlongs.
