What they say

 

Venetia Williams, trainer of Cepage and Farinet
It’s Cepage’s first start of the season and he’s got plenty on his plate. He’s run well around Cheltenham many times and I expect a pretty good run again. Farinet is taking another step up in class and further rain would be helpful. He gets in with a nice weight and we’re hopeful of a good performance.

 

Sue Smith, trainer of Midnight Shadow
Midnight Shadow is ready to go and is in great form – the ground should be fine. He’s got a bit more weight than when he won the Paddy Power.

 

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Fusil Raffles
He’s in good form, stays and likes Cheltenham – hopefully he’ll be competitive. He’s a course-and-distance winner and was second to Chantry House at the festival, which is solid form.

 

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Lalor
He ran well in the Paddy Power and I’ve been happy with him since. He had all those problems so hadn’t finished a race for 18 months, and that run is bound to have given him a bit of confidence. I’d be very hopeful of a good run. The track will suit him better, we’re on the New course and it’s a little bit stiffer.

 

Philip Hobbs, trainer of Zanza and Dostal Phil
They ran similar races in the Paddy Power last time, in that they were some way behind at the top of the hill but ran on strongly. With that in mind you’d think they’d have an equally good chance again. They came out of that race well and the ground will be fine.

 

Evan Williams, trainer of Coole Cody
He’s a good, tough, genuine old boy, but it’ll be very difficult to reproduce his Paddy Power run. He schooled grand in the week, but you’d be naive to think this race being run on the New course doesn’t change anything as it’s so different from the Old course, which plays to his strengths. 

 

Alan King, trainer of Deyrann De Carjac
He ran pretty well at the November meeting, when he was beaten nine lengths and stayed on well, which will hopefully have sharpened him up.

 

Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Topofthecotswolds
It was unfortunate he unseated at the first at Newbury, but he’s in very good form and we hope he’ll go well. He ran well the time before that so looks to have every chance.

Coole Cody, who won last year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham and was going well in the race again only to fall two out four weeks ago, put that disappointment behind him on Saturday when he stormed to victory in the Racing Post Gold Cup.

Racing handily under Adam Wedge, the 12-1 shot was there to be shot at, but was able to fend off Paddy Power Gold Cup winner and 11-2 chance Midnight Shadow, who was pipped on the line for second by Zanza, who went off at 12-1 as well. Fusil Raffles was fourth at 5-1.

Taking his record at Cheltenham to 10216442F1, Coole Cody was only sixth, beaten 38 lengths, from the same mark in last year’s race, but responded gamely to a bold, aggressive ride from Wedge to record a two-length victory in an absorbing contest.

“He’s as hard as nails, a cracking, fantastic horse,” said a delighted Wedge.

“He’s got his own way of jumping and that fall the last day was a blip on his record. He’s always got from A to B and knows what to do.

“You can’t ask for any more from him, as soon as I push the button he put his head to the floor and galloped all the way up the hill for me.”

Owned by Wayne Clifford, Coole Cody is a testament to the training talents of Evan Williams, choked with emotion, but able to say: “He’s a good, tough horse.

“Wedgey was convinced he had plenty of petrol last time, but you can’t say that because in this old game you’ve got to get the job done – falling is no good.

“Not many horses can fall and then come back and do that round here. It sounds silly, but with a horse like Coole Cody you have no worries with what happened before because he is as tough as teak, a very hard horse.

“It’s unusual for a horse to have no physiological effect. I knew he wouldn’t have any worries, so I didn’t have any worries.

“He’s won the Paddy Power and now this, and if he doesn’t do anything else in his life, he’s been an absolute star.”

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