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Paddy Power Gold Cup 2011 |
Divers Returns to Action on Sunday Ahead of Paddy Power Gold Cup Tilt 25/10/11
Trainer Ferdy Murphy is hoping that history can repeat itself as rising star Divers makes his seasonal return this Sunday ahead of his big early season target, the £150,000 BetVictor Gold Cup (2.35pm) at Cheltenham.
Take a look at the Paddy Power Gold Cup trends for the past 10 years.
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Entries for the extended two and a half-mile Grade Three handicap chase, highlight of The Open on Saturday, November 12, close at noon today, Tuesday, October 25.
Murphy sent out L’Antartique to win both the Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle and the Paddy Power Gold Cup in 2007, while Little Josh completed the double last year for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies.
Divers finished a progressive first season over fences with victory in the Listed Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase, run over the same course and distance as the Paddy Power Gold Cup, at The Festival in March - a race also won by L’Antartique prior to his success at The Open.
The seven-year-old is currently a 10/1 chance with the race sponsor for the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
Murphy revealed this morning: “Divers is on course for the Paddy Power Gold Cup and he will have his prep run in the Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle on Sunday. It’s the same route we took with L’Antartique in 2007 and it would be lovely if lightning could strike twice.
“He has schooled very well and Graham Lee is very pleased with him at the moment. Unfortunately Graham is banned on Sunday, so Keith Mercer will ride him, but hopefully he will be back in the saddle again at Cheltenham.
“We are very pleased with Divers and he will come on for his seasonal return. They are forecast some very wet weather at Carlisle during the week, which won’t help him, but I need to get a run into him to blow the cobwebs away.”
The Open stages 18 races over three days worth a total of £587,000, as well as the Greatwood Charity Sweepstake, which concludes the event at 4.10pm on Sunday, November 13.
Friday is the well-established Countryside Day and features the £22,000 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (2.55pm), as well as the £21,500 Grade Two Opus Energy Novices’ Hurdle (1.45pm) and the £40,000 paddypower.com on Mobile Handicap Chase (2.20pm), while action off the track includes the popular stallion parade prior to racing.
Paddy Power Gold Cup Day on Saturday features the £150,000 Grade Three Paddy Power Gold Cup (2.35pm), while the cracking six-race card also includes the £21,000 Grade Two JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (1.20pm) and the £40,000 Grade Three The Open Handicap Chase (1.55pm).
Sunday’s feature race is the £100,000 Grade Three Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (2.20pm), which often provides pointers to the Grade One Stan James Champion Hurdle at The Festival in March. Sunday also hosts the £24,000 Grade Two Independent Newspaper Novices’ Chase (1.10pm), the £21,500Grade Two Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle (3.30pm) and the £35,000 Bottlegreen Chase.
Paddy Power Gold Cup - Paddy Power bet:
5/1 Mon Parrain, 10/1 Wishfull Thinking, Divers, 12/1 Realt Dubh, Great Endeavour, 14/1 Quel Esprit, Flat Out, Loosen My Load, Robinson Collonges, Tataniano, Noble Prince, 16/1 Mikael D'Haguenet, Rubi Light, Sunnyhillboy, Quantitativeeasing, Tullamore Dew, 20/1 Mr Gardner, Little Josh, 25/1 Billie Magern
Each Way 1/4 Places 1,2,3,4
