Hennessy weights set to rise
All the leading fancies for next week’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury have stood their ground at the latest forfeit stage.
Jonjo O’Neill’s Keen Leader tops the field but the weights are set to rise by at least 7lb after original top weight Kingsmark was taken out of the race by trainer Martin Todhunter.
Paul Nicholls has also taken out Valley Henry (11st 9lb) from the November 29 event, leaving Keen Leader, at the moment on 11st 5lb, as top weight of the 47 acceptors.
However, O’Neill expressed some doubts about his horse’s participation yesterday and he could be rerouted to the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on Saturday.
Nicholls initially made six entries for the race and he has also taken out Sleeping Night, Ad Hoc, Royal Auclair and Montifault, leaving the ante post favourite Strong Flow as his only entry.
But the Ditcheat handler also warned that his runner may bypass the big race in favour of a novice event at the same track the next day.
Philip Hobbs’ One Knight, winner of the Royal and SunAlliance Chase last year and another of the leading hopes, is also still in the race.
Martin Pipe entered 11 runners in the race and all stand their ground while O’Neill also has Mini Sensation, Sudden Shock and Joss Naylor in the three miles, two and a half furlongs race but he has taken out Carbury Cross.
