Exeter’s Haldon Gold Cup has been a starting point for the likes of Best Mate, Edredon Bleu and Cue Card in recent decades. This year’s six-strong field will look to emulate them on the way to greatness, as Joe Napier previews the field and gives his verdict.
Elixir De Nutz would not have struck as an obvious first-time Grade 1 winner when scoring last season, but three starts later, he would be one after landing the Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham.
JPR ONE
(Joe Tizzard/Brendan Powell)
Representing last season’s winning trainer, JPR One would be an obvious starting point in the race even if he were not the current favourite. The seven-year-old was a Grade 2-winning novice chaser, winning Lingfield’s Lightning Novices’ Chase to gain compensation for a last-fence fall at Cheltenham in November, before being one of the main British hopes in the Arkle.
He could finish only seventh in the Cheltenham Festival contest, but remains a horse with significant potential over fences. A mark of 147 is steep, and he is top-weight for his first start in open company, but he has won all three starts when fresh too. Brendan Powell was abard the wrong Tizzard horse a year ago and will be keen to make amends.
DJELO
(Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch)
Like JPR One, Djelo ended his novice campaign on a low note having broadly been very consistent throughout last term. He was kept busy too, visiting a race track on seven occasions, winning three times and making the frame in two other Grade 1s, though one of his races saw him taken out at the first in the Lingfield Grade 2 won by the above.
He was only eighth when stepped back to 2m at Aintree behind Found A Fifty, but a busy season may have told by then. Although he may prove more of a 2m4f horse in time, this trip of 2m1½f should still suit, and it is easy to forget that he went off the 9/4 favourite to beat JPR One when exiting early at Lingfield. He was conceding 5lb that day but receives 2lb today and should go perfectly well fresh.
ETALON
(Dan Skelton/Harry Skelton)
It’s clearly a theme of this year’s runners, but Etalon was another who enjoyed a fruitful campaign only to stumble with their sights set higher at the end. Dan Skelton’s charge shot up 21lb in the handicap, winning his first three starts over fences in handicaps before finishing only seventh upped to Grade 1 level at Aintree.
All three wins came on soft ground, so there would be a query about him on a sounder surface here. However, he has clearly improved for jumping a fence, and ran well enough in his novice hurdling days on good-to-soft. He also finished in front of Djelo despite being down the field at Aintree, and now receives 6lb from that rival.
SANS BRUIT
(Paul Nicholls/Bryony Frost)
Bryony Frost is recalled from France for the mount aboard Sans Bruit having gotten on so well with the six-year-old towards the end of last season. The pair put in a joyous front-running display at Aintree when bolting up in the Red Rum Handicap Chase on the horse’s second ever chase start on these shores, and runner-up Saint Roi has massively franked the form since, finishing second at Punchestown before winning at Galway off higher marks.
Sans Bruit also finished the season with a disappointment, ensuring he is yet another in the field with something to prove, but his third at Ayr came on his third run in 20 days. He should bounce back in time, but there is a question about him when fresh, and the yard’s horses appear to be needing the run.
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Value Punts – Three for Haldon Gold Cup Day at Exeter
Exeter’s biggest meeting takes place on Friday, as the Haldon Gold Cup hosts a number of aspiring chasers. Matty Sutcliffe has picked one out in that contest, as well as two others. Published: 1.20pm, Wednesday, November 6th (Odds correct at time of writing) 1:15 Exeter West Country Weekend Novices’ Hurdle (Gbb Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) …
Wed 06 Nov 2024THE FIELD
Just the two others to cover. Scarface was prolific to begin 2024, and unlike those mentioned above, maintained his form to the end, finishing third in a decent handicap at Cheltenham in April after winning three times from January onwards. He was only fifth on his return, but though his mark of 132 is definitely still one he can win off, he needed a few starts to find his stride last term.
Heltenham is last in for Dan Skelton. His two wins at Newbury in March were impressive performances and he was travelling well enough when falling at Ayr on his final 2023/24 start. He is on a career high mark by some margin still, and looks like he needs further than this having been well-beaten by Sans Bruit in April, though further improvement is still possible.
VERDICT
JPR One should go close to giving Joe Tizzard back-to-back wins in the race, but he looks weighted heavily enough for now, and there could also be doubts about him first time after wind surgery and sporting a first-time tongue tie. His biggest dangers look to be DJELO and Etalon, and it is Venetia Williams’ charge who shades the verdict given there is more evidence he goes on quicker ground. He was behind Etalon (second choice) at Aintree, but both were well-beaten and Djelo was ridden more aggressively for a result, so should still prove capable of winning this off 6lb worse terms. Etalon was improving at a rate of knots last term though and is feared, while Sans Bruit would also enter calculations if fully tuned up after his summer break.
- Djelo
- Etalon
- JPR One
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