Cheltenham, SAT 17 NOV 2012. PADDY POWER GOLD CUP CHASE (HANDICAP) GRADE 3 (CLASS 1) (4yo+). Scudamore confident Grands Crus can deliver / Cheltenham, sabato 17 novembre 2012, PADDY POWER GOLD CUP CHASE (HANDICAP) GRADE 3, secondo il trainer Scudamore, Grands Crus può dire la sua

BY JAMES BURN
Grands Crus - Kempton - 26.12.2011
Grands Crus is “not too badly handicapped” according to trainer David PipePICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Scudamore confident Grands Crus can deliver

 BY JAMES BURN6:26PM 16 NOV 2012

GRANDS CRUS, ante-post favourite for Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup, will be hard to beat if back to his best in the first big betting race of the jumps season, according to jockey Tom Scudamore.

Scudamore has ridden the David Pipe-trained seven-year-old in all but two of his 15 starts and thinks he can jusitify his position at the head of the market for the Cheltenham handicap as long as he turns in a better performance than when fourth in the RSA Chase at the track in March.Grands Crus is 2-1 with Ladbrokes, but can be backed at 5-2 generally and Scudamore told At The Races on Friday night: “He’s in very good form. I’m very happy with him and certainly wouldn’t swap him.

“He’s got to bounce back from a disappointing run in the RSA, but he’s not the first to disappoint in that and won’t be the last.

“He’s in great order. We need luck in running, but I’m as confident as I can be.”

Pipe, who trains Grands Crus for Roger Stanley and Yvonne Reynolds and won the Paddy Power with Great Endeavour last year, has described the gelding as “not too badly handicapped,” but him and Scudamore are not the only connections optimistic of a decent performance.

Hunt Ball is next best in the betting at 7-1 and his ebullient owner Anthony Knott said: “When Nick Scholfield lets him loose three out, I can’t see anything staying with him. I have had £20,000 on him at 10s and 9s.”

Four races from Cheltenham, including the Paddy Power, are live on Channel 4 on Saturday, while Lingfield’s two Listed races will also be broadcast.

2:35  p.m. (eng. time) Cheltenham, SAT 17 NOV 2012. 

PADDY POWER GOLD CUP CHASE (HANDICAP) GRADE 3 (CLASS 1) (4yo+) Winner £91,120 CH4 

Good To Soft 2m4f110y Number of runners: 20

NO. HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER RTF% JOCKEY OR TS RPR
1 5U26-4 Poquelin14  9 11-12 Paul Nicholls72 Harry Derham7 163 157 174
2 11343- Al Ferof219  7 11-8 Paul Nicholls72 R Walsh 159 138 169
3 85110- Calgary Bay217  9 11-7 Mick Channon50 Dominic Elsworth 158 149 168
4 11113- Hunt Ball219  7 11-6 Keiran Burke Nick Scholfield 157 145 173
5 61114- Grands Crus248 t  7 11-6 David Pipe46 Tom Scudamore 157 167 176
6 02175- Quantitativeeasing203  7 11-4 Nicky Henderson45 Andrew Tinkler 155 162 167
7 41412- Aerial213  6 11-4 Paul Nicholls72 Daryl Jacob 155 149 169
8 1F32P- Tanks For That219  9 11-4 Nicky Henderson45 DOUBTFUL 155 — 168
9 3464-2 Forpadydeplasterer19F  10 10-13 Thomas Cooper Paddy Brennan 150 160 173
10 3/17-1 Nadiya De La Vega28  6 10-8 Nicky Henderson45 A P McCoy 145 164 170
11 7124-5 Micheal Flips14  8 10-8 Andy Turnell50 Brian Hughes 145 165 171
12 1345P- Walkon210  7 10-6 Alan King52 Robert Thornton 143 150 176
13 S41141 The Disengager49  8 10-4 Philip Hobbs57 Richard Johnson 141 145 169
14 U047-0 Divers28  8 10-1 Ferdy Murphy53 Timmy Murphy 138 156 174
15 1110-2 Triolo D´Alene190  5 10-1 Nicky Henderson45 Barry Geraghty 138 142 166
16 F-211F Kingsmere29  7 10-0 Henry Daly67 Sam Twiston-Davies 137 110 171
17 36-120 Casey Top59 t  9 10-0 Leonard Whitmore100 Mark Enright5 136 153 166
18 7-3633 Finger Onthe Pulse28 t  11 10-0 Jonjo O´Neill42 Maurice Linehan7 136 157 170
19 9-923 Questions Answered34  7 10-0 E McNamara100 Aidan Coleman 130 153 169
20 P0F-39 Gilbarry28  7 10-0 Jonjo O´Neill42 Richie McLernon 127 130 167

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