racing_news/

Poquelin Retains the Vote A P Gold Cup
11/12/10

1 Poquelin 16/1
2 Great Endeavour 13/2
3 Sunnyhillboy 9/1
4 Calgary Bay 16/1
16 ran Distances: 1l, 6l, ½l
TIME 5m 10.26s (slow by 3.26s)

Poquelin defied the history books to become the only horse ever to land the Vote AP Gold Cup at Cheltenham twice following his win last year.

Poquelin
© Grossick Racing Photography

Carrying top weight of 11st 12lb, less jockey Ian Popham's 5lb claim, the seven-year-old took up the running approaching the second-last, but Great Endeavour joined him and looked as if he was going to add to his Festival win in March.

However, despite the huge weight difference, Poquelin (16-1) found plenty and held off his rival by a length, with Sunnyhillboy staying on from well back for third and Calgary Bay fourth.

Winning trainer Paul Nicholls said: "I thought he was a big price even though he was disappointing in the Paddy Power. He doesn't like that track (the Old Course) when it is watered in the autumn and he does prefer this New Course.

"Ian gave him a peach of a ride and I thought if he ran to his Ryanair form he would have a big chance.

"He ran well on his seasonal debut in the Old Roan against Monet's Garden and I thought the handicapper was a bit harsh - but he has been proved right and he has run to his true mark today.

"He won't go for handicaps now - he'll go straight for the Ryanair again."

Popham added: "It's a dream to ride horses like this and he made my life so easy, he travelled and jumped so well.

"The plan was to go down the inner the whole way - turning into the straight we got a nice gap and he really flew up the straight. The ground was the key to him today, he zips off this better ground."

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Poquelin P F Nicholls	Ian Popham 11st 12lbs	16 - 1 Winner
2	Great Endeavour D Pipe	T J Murphy 10st 5lbs	13 - 2 1 length
3	Sunnyhillboy Jonjo O'Neill	R P McLernon 10st 2lbs	9 - 1 6 lengths
4	Calgary Bay Miss H C Knight	Hadden Frost 10st 6lbs	16 - 1 1/2 length
5	Little Josh N A Twiston-Davies	S Twiston-Davies 11st 4lbs	13 - 2 11 lengths
6	Mad Max N J Henderson	P Carberry 11st 6lbs	10 - 1 6 lengths
7	Pigeon Island N A Twiston-Davies	P J Brennan 10st 0lbs	33 - 1 9 lengths
8	Northern Alliance A J Martin	A P Heskin 10st 10lbs	20 - 1 7 lengths
9	Robinson Collonges P F Nicholls	N Fehily 10st 11lbs	15 - 2 4 1/2 lengths
10	Matuhi D Pipe	T Scudamore 10st 0lbs	12 - 1 23 lengths
11	Finger Onthe Pulse T J Taaffe	A P McCoy 10st 10lbs	25 - 1 3 3/4 lengths
12	Dave's Dream N J Henderson	B J Geraghty 10st 11lbs	5 - 1 1 1/2 length
PulledUp	Psycho A J Martin	D N Russell 11st 1lbs	10 - 1
Fell	Noble Alan N G Richards	B Harding 10st 6lbs	16 - 1
PulledUp	Gonebeyondrecall N F Glynn	Paul Moloney 10st 0lbs	50 - 1
PulledUp	Duers P Magnier	A E Lynch 10st 0lbs	66 - 1