The Hennessy Gold Cup Saturday 29th November 2014

Total of 58 horses entered is five higher than last year and biggest number since 2010

Ireland hasn’t won the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury since 1980, but there are nine Irish-trained entries for this year's running which takes place on Saturday, November 29th.

The Irish entry is headed by the Mouse Morris-trained triple Grade 1 winner First Lieutenant, second to Bobs Worth in the 2012 Hennessy.

Willie Mullins suffered Hennessy heartbreak in 2002 after his Be My Royal was first past the post, but subsequently disqualified. This year, Ireland’s champion trainer has entered the Susannah Ricci-owned trio of Champagne Fever, Ballycasey and Djakadam, along with Grade 2-scorer The Paparrazi Kid.

Other notable contenders from Ireland include Gordon Elliott’s Don Cossack, Mullaghanoe River from the Noel Meade yard, and the Dessie Hughes-trained Lyreen Legend.

The total of 58 entries is up from 53 last year and is the highest figures since 2010.

Nicky Henderson has taken the £175,000 showpiece three times in his career, including the latest two renewals. The handler’s 2013 hero Triolo D’Alene could bid to become the first back-to-back winner since the great Arkle in 1965.

Henderson’s other representative is Hadrian’s Approach, who unseated Nico de Boinville at the fifth fence in the race last year.

Paul Nicholls is another three-time winner of the Hennessy as a trainer and is responsible for seven of the possible runners. Rocky Creek, runner-up in 2013, Unioniste and Just a Par look the pick of his septet.

Alan King saddled the well-fancied Invictus to finish 11th last season and has a host of smart horses engaged including Medermit, the classy Smad Place and Walkon. Midnight Prayer and Pantxoa are his other pair.

The Romford Pele, winner of his last three races, could line up for Rebecca Curtis, and the prolific Fingal Bay and dual-Newbury victor Roalco de Farges, both trained by Philip Hobbs, are other high-profile entries.

THE HENNESSY GOLD CUP STEEPLE CHASE (HANDICAP) (CLASS 1) (Grade 3)

Horse    Age    Owner    Trainer

First Lieutenant (IRE)    9    Gigginstown House Stud    M. F. Morris

Harry Topper (GB)    7    Mr A. N. Solomons    Kim Bailey

Champagne Fever (IRE)    7    Mrs S. Ricci    W. P. Mullins

Lyreen Legend (IRE)    7    Lyreen Syndicate    D. T. Hughes

Triolo d'Alene (FR)    7    Mr & Mrs Sandy Orr    Nicky Henderson

Houblon des Obeaux (FR)    7    Mrs Julian Blackwell    Venetia Williams

Rocky Creek (IRE)    8    The Johnson & Stewart Families    Paul Nicholls

Medermit (FR)    10    The Dunkley & Reilly Partnership    Alan King

Ballycasey (IRE)    7    Mrs S. Ricci    W. P. Mullins

Katenko (FR)    8    Mr A. Brooks    Venetia Williams

Smad Place (FR)    7    Mrs Peter Andrews    Alan King

Ballynagour (IRE)    8    Mr Allan Stennett    David Pipe

Fingal Bay (IRE)    8    Mrs R. J. Skan    Philip Hobbs

Bury Parade (IRE)    8    HighclereThoroughbredRacing- Bury Parade    Paul Nicholls

Hadrian's Approach (IRE)    7    Mr & Mrs R. Kelvin-Hughes    Nicky Henderson

Vino Griego (FR)    9    Mr C. E. Stedman    Gary Moore

Don Cossack (GER)    7    Gigginstown House Stud    Gordon Elliott

Unioniste (FR)    6    Mr J. Hales    Paul Nicholls

Walkon (FR)    9    McNeill Family    Alan King

The Romford Pele (IRE)    7    Trembath & Outhart    Rebecca Curtis

Black Thunder (FR)    7    Donlon, MacDonald, Fulton & Webb    Paul Nicholls

Theatre Guide (IRE)    7    Mrs Jean R. Bishop    Colin Tizzard

Le Bec (FR)    6    Tim Syder    Emma Lavelle

Restless Harry (GB)    10    Mr R. G. Whitehead    Robin Dickin

Easter Meteor (GB)    8    Mr & Mrs S. C. Willes    David Pipe

Sam Winner (FR)    7    Mrs Angela Yeoman    Paul Nicholls

Monbeg Dude (IRE)    9    Oydunow    Michael Scudamore

Buywise (IRE)    7    Mr T. Hywel Jones    Evan Williams

Annacotty (IRE)    6    Mrs Peter Prowting    Martin Keighley

Wiesentraum (GER)    8    G. Pascoe & S. Brewer    Lucy Wadham

Mendip Express (IRE)    8    The Mendip Syndicate    Harry Fry

Lamb Or Cod (IRE)    7    Mr Terry Warner    Philip Hobbs

Many Clouds (IRE)    7    Mr Trevor Hemmings    Oliver Sherwood

Easter Day (FR)    6    B. Fulton, Broughton Thermal Insulation    Paul Nicholls

Present View (GB)    6    Sir Chips Keswick    Jamie Snowden

Just A Par (IRE)    7    Paul K. Barber & C. G. Roach    Paul Nicholls

Djakadam (FR)    5    Mrs S. Ricci    W. P. Mullins

Court In Motion (IRE)    9    Mr N. Mustoe    Emma Lavelle

Roalco de Farges (FR)    9    The Brushmakers    Philip Hobbs

Wychwoods Brook (GB)    8    Kevin & Anne Glastonbury    Evan Williams

Midnight Prayer (GB)    9    The Legends Partnership    Alan King

The Druids Nephew (IRE)    7    The Stonehenge Druids    Neil Mulholland

Mountainous (IRE)    9    Walters Plant Hire & James & Jean Potter    Richard Lee

Via Sundown (FR)    6    The Old Brokers    Gary Moore

Knock A Hand (IRE)    9    Mr Alan Halsall    Richard Lee

Pantxoa (FR)    7    Mrs June Watts    Alan King

Mullaghanoe River (IRE)    6    Mrs Patricia Hunt    Noel Meade

Victors Serenade (IRE)    9    Michael & Angela Bone    Anthony Honeyball

Gevrey Chambertin (FR)    6    Roger Stanley & Yvonne Reynolds III    David Pipe

Merry King (IRE)    7    Mr F. Gillespie    Jonjo O'Neill

Edmund Kean (IRE)    7    Walters Plant Hire & James & Jean Potter    Peter Bowen

Gallant Oscar (IRE)    8    Mr G. Kelly    A. J. Martin

What A Warrior (IRE)    7    Mr & Mrs Gordon Pink    Dan Skelton

Handy Andy (IRE)    8    Brocade Racing    Colin Tizzard

Le Reve (IRE)    6    Mr P. H. Betts    Lucy Wadham

Tour des Champs (FR)    7    Mr H. R. Mould    Nigel Twiston-Davies

Saroque (IRE)    7    Mr A. Brooks    Venetia Williams

The Paparrazi Kid (IRE)    7    Byerley Thoroughbred Racing    W. P. Mullins