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1 Minella Cocooner 17/2
2
Annual Invictus 20/1
3 Nick Rockett 7/1
4 Certainly Red 22/1
20 ran Distances: nk, 2¼l, 1l
Time: 7m 32.75s (slow by 15.25s)
There's no stopping @WillieMullinsNH as Minella Cocooner adds the cherry to the cake with a thrilling victory in the @bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase under a fine ride from @dan2231 🏆 pic.twitter.com/e1gysICJgW
— Sandown Park (@Sandownpark) April 27, 2024
The Willie and Danny Mullins double-act built on their recent Scottish Grand National victory by delivering Minella Cocooner right on the line to snatch victory from long-time leader Annual Invictus.
Just 30 minutes prior, Mullins had secured the champion trainer title when El Fabiolo finished second in the Celebration Chase. Despite their dominance at Cheltenham, it was I Am Maximus’s Grand National win at Aintree that made the championship a possibility. Macdermott’s victory at Ayr last week brought Mullins within reach.
With the pressure eased, Danny Mullins stealthily moved into contention aboard the 17-2 chance. Annual Invictus put up a strong fight, but it ultimately boiled down to a tight finish between Minella Cocooner and Annual Invictus.
In the end, the Mullins-trained runner prevailed, leaving the runner-up with little to rue. Chris Gordon’s Annual Invictus lost with honour, while Mullins’ Nick Rockett and Paul Townend secured third place.
Bet365 Gold Cup Chase
£170,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 4f 166y, Class 1
20 ran
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Minella Cocooner 8 11-9 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 17/2
2 nk Annual Invictus 9 11-1 Chris Gordon Freddie Gordon 20/1
3 2¼ Nick Rockett 7 11-5 W P Mullins Paul Townend 7/1
4 1 Certainly Red 10 10-7 Lydia Richards Marc Goldstein 22/1
5 3 Amirite 8 11-0 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 6/1
6 3¼ Sam Brown 12 11-12 Anthony Honeyball Freddie Gingell 22/1
7 1¾ Le Milos 9 11-7 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 13/2
8 2¼ Aime Desjy 9 10-13 W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe 16/1
9 2¼ Kitty's Light 8 11-3 Christian Williams Jack Tudor 11/2F
10 2½ Enrilo 10 10-6 Paul Nicholls Angus Cheleda 22/1
11 ½ Kinondo Kwetu 8 11-2 Sam England Jonathan England 18/1
12 1 Weveallbeencaught 7 10-4 Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 14/1
13 nk Threeunderthrufive 9 12-0 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 22/1
14 3¾ Slipway 9 10-10 Ben Pauling Ben Jones 22/1
15 3 Bangers And Cash 8 10-4 Ben Pauling Kielan Woods 16/1
16 1¼ Fortescue 10 10-9 Henry Daly Hugh Nugent 50/1
17 6 Rapper 10 10-10 Henry Daly Richard Patrick 40/1
18 10 Courtland 9 10-13 Peter Bowen Sean Bowen 20/1
PU Does He Know 9 11-12 Kim Bailey David Bass 33/1
PU
Flash Collonges 9 10-2 Paul Nicholls Bryony Frost 33/1
