Super Denman ´Ready To Go´

Joint-owner Paul Barber admits Denman has nothing to gain and everything to lose in the Aon Chase at Newbury on Saturday.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup second-favourite faces just three rivals in a race that was used by Kauto Star as a warm-up to blue-riband glory 12 months ago.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Hennessy Gold Cup winner is well treated by the conditions of the race and will be sent off at prohibitive odds to win a 12th race from just 13 career starts.

Barber said: "We've got nothing to gain tomorrow really but I've been in racing long enough to realise that a 1000 things can go wrong so let's hope that it all goes right and that he is good enough.

"I don't think Paul really expected him to win the Hennessy the way he did on his first run but he looked the part there, and in the SunAlliance last season.

"But he looked the part far more than anybody gave him credit for in the Lexus.

"Sam (Thomas) rides him tomorrow and the idea always was whoever was going to ride him in the Gold Cup would ride him tomorrow ? but we've got to get through tomorrow first."

Nicholls added: "It's his prep race for the Gold Cup ? we're taking him to Newbury to see how we get on.

"Sam (Thomas) schooled him on Thursday and he's going to ride him in the Gold Cup as well.

"I'm looking forward to running him. A small field won't matter.

"If Ollie Magern gives him a lead or if he gallops off in front it won't matter either.

"He's ready to go," the Ditcheat handler told Teletext.

Despite being rated 26lb inferior to Denman, the in-form Donald McCain is keen to see if Regal Heights will stay three miles.

"We need to find out if he's going to get three miles and I know it means we will be taking on Denman, but he is in very good order and the ground seems right," said McCain.

"If he ran in another handicap he would be lumping top weight, whereas he'll be getting weight off them on Saturday.

"I've always been taught you should never be scared of one horse, he might well stuff us but we can't just hand him the race.

"We might be getting carried away and we might well get put in our place, but we'll give it a go.

"If he doesn't get three miles he's entered in the Ryanair at Cheltenham but he needs a bit of cut in the ground."

Nigel Twiston-Davies has not been frightened off by Denman and will be represented by dual Charlie Hall winner, Ollie Magern.

"He's beaten some good horses, so let's hope he can beat the Hennessy winner," said Twiston-Davies.

"He's been second in the Hennessy before."

(C) PA Sport