Pipe mulling Hennessy options
David Pipe may have just one runner from his three five-day entries in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday.
The rookie trainer is waiting on David Johnsn, who owns the trio – Commercial Flyer, Bannow Strand and Paddy Power Gold Cup runner-up Vodka Bleu – as he makes his first attempt at winning the race his father, Martin, lifted three times.
“We’re waiting to hear from David Johnson as we have three left in and they’re all owned by him,” said the Nicholashayne handler.
“They’re all well and Vodka Bleu is 6lb well-in from his Paddy Power run.
“He came out of that race very, very well and he stays three miles but whether he will stay three miles two is a different story. He’s a real galloper and I’m sure he will.
“Commercial Flyer was favourite for the SunAlliance last season and he disappointed then but he’s back and looks stronger.
“Bannow Strand is a much-hyped horse, who won well at the Paddy Power meeting last year, but he’s up to 136 now so he’s finding life a bit difficult.
“They’re all ready to run, but we’ll probably end up with just one runner and Bannow Strand is in a two-and-a-half mile race and entered up at Newcastle as well.
“Whatever runs will hopefully go there with a good chance,” he told At The Races.
John and Lavinia Taylor have set their sights on winning the Hennessy outright with Montgermont.
The couple owned and trained Gingembre who was second past the post in 2000 and 2002 only to be eventually awarded the Newbury showpiece following the disqualification of Be My Royal in the latter year.
Although they gave up training in August and sold the famous Uplands stables in Lambourn, they are still very much involved in the sport.
And in Montgermont, who they moved to Charles Egerton’s stables near Newbury, they have a leading contender at around 8-1.
The six-year-old looked a smart recruit when winning at Exeter and Lingfield early in the year but he met with a setback and disappointed on his latest start at Aintree in April.
“He possibly could have had a run before but Charles wanted to protect his handicap mark and if the horse is as good as we think he is then he’s well handicapped,” said Mrs Taylor.
“After he won at Lingfield in February he was sick and missed a race at Newbury. He may still have been feeling the effects of the illness when he ran at Aintree and he burst a blood vessel shortly afterwards.
“All’s well with him as far as we know. He summered well and we started him off back in training before he went to Charles’s.”
The Taylors hope Tony McCoy can take the mount on Saturday but have Robert Thornton on standby in case the champion jockey is committed to ride for his boss, JP McManus.
They have reluctantly taken Mark Bradburne, who has ridden Montgermont in his last three races, out of the equation.
“There’s no news on the jockey front yet. It’s a pity that Mark is not in the frame but Henry Daly looks like having runners at Towcester on Saturday,” added Mrs Taylor.
“It wasn’t fair that Mark should be left hanging around and then not have a ride if we suddenly found that AP was available.”
Montgermont was cut to 7-1 third favourite from 8-1 with Ladbrokes who also trimmed Idle Talk to 10-1 from 12s.
Idle Talk’s trainer Tom George reported his Hennessy hope to be in fine shape following his pleasing reappearance earlier this month when he was only beaten half-a-length by My Will at Cheltenham.
“We’re delighted with him and he’s definitely an intended runner at this stage. We just hope everything goes well between now and Saturday,” said George.
“He was in front for a long time at Cheltenham and idled in front, but he ran on again when he got some company.
“He’s come out of it very well. He was pretty fit for that run so hopefully he’ll come on for it. I’m glad we’re going to Newbury with a run under our belt than not.
“As he travels well in his races, he’s not under pressure for long so it’s not as though he’s finding it that difficult and having a hard time.
“He didn’t quite last home when fourth in the Scottish National last season, but he’s a stronger horse now. We must go there with a small chance, at least.”
The ground at Newbury was today described as good to soft.
“At the moment the ground is good to soft and we’ve had the odd shower this afternoon,” said clerk of the course Richard Osgood.
“It has dried up since yesterday though, so that’s why we’ve changed it back to good to soft.
“The main amount (of rain) is supposed to be coming in tonight and they are talking of it being four to five millimetres, with the heaviest supposed to be tomorrow morning.
“We have got some further rain coming in on Friday night but we are draining very well at the moment. I think you would probably be looking at going around good to soft, soft in places,” Osgood told Racing UK.
Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup betting:
Ladbrokes: 6-1 State Of Play, Turpin Green, 7-1 Montgermont, 8-1 Cornish Rebel, 10-1 Idle Talk, 12-1 Distant Thunder, Juveigneur, 14-1 Southern Vic, Vodka Bleu, 16-1 Presenting Express, Commercial Flyer, Copsale Lad, 20-1 bar.
