Newbury - 30th Nov

Today's racing is dominated by the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup. It doesn't look the best of renewals and I managed to get a nice price about Lord Windermere a couple of weeks or so ago and with his profile it's difficult to see him out of the frame. Everyone knows RSA winners have an excellent record in this race and although he was lucky to win that race at the Festival with Boston Bob's last fence fall he is unexposed at this sort of trip and looks a proper stayer. The decent ground that prevailed that day also seemed to suit him and he is a good jumper. He's very solid and I have topped up at 10/1. Looking through the race not many of the runners struck me as huge dangers or possible secondary bet contenders. Invictus has been off the track for a while and his form has been somewhat overrated, Rocky Creek just doesn't seem to have the substance to justify the hype about him, Our Father is priced up simply on trainer form and Highland Lodge doesn't look good enough to me. I do however think Prince de Beauchene is interesting. Not sure he's that well handicapped but he is a really good jumper and I think a good stamina test on decent ground will suit him. He's a big sort who will carry the weight he's been allotted and in not a great field he should outrun the price I have just this minute had matched on Betfair :)

Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup:

Lord Windermere £20w @ 14/1 and £15ew @ 10/1 (lost)

Prince de Beauchene £10w @ 20/1 and £15pl @ 4/1 (lost)

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