Betfair Denman Chase |
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| Grade 2 Handicap, Newbury 14:25 £60,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m 7f 86y, Class 1  |
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1 Eldorado Allen 6/1
2 Royale Pagaille 2/1
3 Clan Des Obeaux Evs
5 ran Distances: 2¼l, 10l, 22l
Time: 5m 50.90s (slow by 2.90s)
Eldorado Allen, trained by @colintizzard and ridden by @brendanp1995, gallops his way to a probable Gold Cup day out by winning the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury. pic.twitter.com/HFqochI4Jl https://t.co/LhjNGf0czh via @RacingBetter
— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) February 12, 2022
Eldorado Allen relished the step up to three miles and dented some lofty reputations in fine style.
Up against dual King George VI Chase winner Clan Des Obeaux and Betfair Chase runner-up Royale Pagaille, the Colin Tizzard-trained grey looked to have it to do.
However, plenty felt he held some sort of a chance as he was steadily backed throughout the day to be sent off at just 6-1 under Brendan Powell.
Having won the Haldon Gold Cup over almost two and a quarter miles first time out this season, the eight-year-old had to prove his stamina but Brendan Powell was positive on him.
He helped set the pace until David Bass took over on Imperial Aura, although despite putting in some big leaps on the way by the time Kim Bailey’s charge reached four from home he had stopped quickly and failed to finish once more.
That left Eldorado Allen in front and while Clan Des Obeaux was under pressure early in the straight, Royale Pagaille had made good progress to challenge but he could never quite get on terms.
Eldorado Allen kept on strongly after the last and while he holds an entry in the Ryanair Chase next month, connections will have to weigh up whether to supplement for the Gold Cup or not.
Tizzard said: “He was given a great ride by Brendan again. We were pretty convinced he was a three-miler. Whether he is a three-mile-and-two-furlong horse (Gold Cup trip) is something else.
“I’m sure we will talk about supplementing him for the Gold Cup for a week or two. The Gold Cup is the Gold Cup. I would say there is any one of 14 horses who could win the Gold Cup.
“He is in the Ryanair. We did win the Ryanair with Cue Card and we didn’t mind that!
“Any race at Cheltenham is worth winning and he has got to go where he has his best chance. It looks pretty obvious it is the Ryanair, but who knows what the owners will want to do.
“Fiddlerontheroof and Lostintranslation are in the Gold Cup. Lostintranslation might even drop back to the Ryanair. Fiddler is a strong stayer. We held him back because of the National weights and he will be out in a week or 10 days.
“But this one did it well today. Fluent jumping from the front. We said to Brendan, ‘don’t hold back, if you jump to the front, don’t give it back again’. We don’t mind going to the front and Brendan likes it, so we play to our strengths.
“Fiddler will have one run before Cheltenham. I’m not sure where. He will run in a handicap somewhere off 155.
“There is a hell of a difference between three miles and the Cheltenham Gold Cup of three miles and two furlongs. This one looks like he is a Ryanair horse to me, but everyone will have the input on that.”
Betfair Denman Chase
£60,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m 7f 86y, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Eldorado Allen 8 11-6 Colin Tizzard Brendan Powell 6/1
2 2¼ Royale Pagaille 8 11-6 Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch 2/1
3 10 Clan Des Obeaux 10 11-6 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden Evs
4 22 De Rasher Counter 10 11-0 Emma Lavelle Tom Bellamy 33/1
PU Imperial Aura 9 11-6 Kim Bailey David Bass 12/1
Betfair Denman Chase – Roll of Honour
YEAR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY AGE/WEIGHT SP RAN
2021 SECRET INVESTOR Paul Nicholls Bryony Frost 9 11-00 14/1 7
2020 NATIVE RIVER Colin Tizzard Jonjo O'Neill Jr 10-11-06 2/5F 6
2019 CLAN DES OBEAUX Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 07-11-06 2/5F 4
2018 NATIVE RIVER Colin Tizzard Richard Johnson 08-11-06 8/11F 3
2017 NATIVE RIVER Colin Tizzard Aidan Coleman 07-11-06 11/10 3
2016 HOUBLON DES OBEAUX Venetia Williams Aidan Coleman 09-11-00 3/1 7
2015 CONEYGREE Mark Bradstock Richard Johnson 08-11-05 15/8F 6
2014 HARRY TOPPER Kim Bailey Jason Maguire 07-11-10 7/2 5
2013 SILVINIACO CONTI Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh 07-11-10 8/11F 8
2012 LONG RUN Nicky Henderson Mr Sam Waley-Cohen 07-11-10 4/7F 5
2011 NOLAND Paul Nicholls A P McCoy 10-11-00 13/2 5
2010 TRICKY TRICKSTER Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh 07-11-03 8/1 6
*2009 MADISON DU BERLAIS David Pipe Tom Scudamore 08-11-06 12/1 7
2008 DENMAN Paul Nicholls Sam Thomas 08-11-10 1/4F 4
2007 KAUTO STAR Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh 07-11-00 2/9F 6
2006 Abandoned – Frost
2005 FARMER JACK Philip Hobbs Richard Johnson 09-11-06 12/1 8
2004 SHOOTING LIGHT Martin Pipe Richard Johnson 11-11-00 33/1 8
2003 VALLEY HENRY Paul Nicholls Barry Geraghty 08-11-06 4/1 6
2002 BACCHANAL Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 08-11-10 5/4F 7
2001 SHOTGUN WILLY Paul Nicholls Joe Tizzard 07-11-10 4/1 5
2000 SEE MORE BUSINESS Paul Nicholls Mick Fitzgerald 10-11-10 1/3F 6
*Run at Kempton Park when Newbury’s card was abandoned because of snow
