18 for Red Square Vodka Gold Cup A total of 18 horses have gone forward at yesterday´s five-day confirmation stage for the £120,000 Red Square Vodka Gold Cup, the highlight of Haydock Park´s programme on Saturday, February 19, and part of the British Horseracing Board´s £300,000 Order of Merit. Sue Smith´s duo of Royal Emperor and Chives, winner of the Grade Two Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock this season, head the weights followed by another course regular in Truckers Tavern, winner of the 2003 Peter Marsh Chase and a staying-on fourth last time behind Lord Transcend in the latest renewal of that contest on January 22. Trainer Ferdy Murphy reported today: 'Truckers Tavern runs in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock Park on Saturday. 'He´s absolutely spot-on at the moment and has come out of the Peter Marsh very well. 'The ground and three-and-a-half mile trip are made for him. We´ll get Saturday out of the way before we decide where we go next with him. He takes a lot a lot of work to get fit - twice as much as any other horse - I could run him every week as racing takes so little out him. 'I´m not worried about the weights going up as he such a big, gross horse and he can carry weight. I´m very much looking forward to Saturday.' Martin Pipe, successful with Jurancon II 12 months ago, has three to choose from in the tough as teak Stormez, Control Man and Maximize, while there are two possible runners from Ireland in Willie Mullins´ Hedgehunter and the Frances Crowley-trained Nil Desperandum. Hedgehunter, a faller at the last when still bang in contention for the Grand National, is one of two entries along with Chives owned by Trevor Hemmings. Hemmings´ Racing Manager Mick Meagher said today: 'At the moment, both horses are intended runners. Hedgehunter is also entered in a race at Leopardstown and Willie Mullins will make his mind up nearer the time. 'Chives was obviously very disappointing last time [when he finished last in the Peter Marsh Chase] but ran a great race when third in the Welsh National and when winning and finishing second at Haydock before that. Hopefully, he can come back to that form on Saturday.' Other exciting contenders include Baron Windrush, successful in last month´s totesport Classic Chase at Warwick, Forest Gunner, twice a winner at Aintree over the Grand National fences and the Paul Nicholls-trained duo of Heros Collonges and the tough staying mare L´Aventure. Supporting Action In addition to the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup, there is plenty of other good action to look forward to at Haydock Park on Saturday including the opening Grade Two Brit Insurance Prestige Novices´ Hurdle (1.25pm) over an extended two miles and seven furlongs. Among the 17 entries are Howard Johnson´s promising duo of No Refuge, a Grade Two winner at Warwick last time, and Mephisto, successful in the Ebor at York in 2004 and an encouraging third on his hurdling debut in a Grade Two contest at Cheltenham. Paul Nicholls has entered the exciting Blushing Bull while Francois Doumen could run Moulin Riche, sixth at Cheltenham last time, while the one Irish challenger is Our Ben from the Willie Mullins yard and a Grade Three winner on his penultimate start at Limerick. This contest is part of an integrated seasonal package in the jumps programme comprising four 3-mile Grade 2 Novices´ Hurdle races and culminating in a new race at the Cheltenham Festival. The series kicked-off with the Brit Insurance Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham on December 11, which was won by Brewster. The second race was run at Doncaster on January 29 and fell to the Howard Johnson-trained Bewleys Berry. For many, one of the main attractions of the seven-race programme could be the qualifier for the Pertmeps Handicap Hurdle (1.55pm), which could see the eagerly-awaited seasonal reappearance of the Jonjo O´Neill-trained Iris´s Gift. The talented grey made his seasonal debut in this race last year, finishing a fine second under top weight before going on to success at Cheltenham and Aintree. GROUND The ground at Haydock Park is currently HEAVY. Clerk of the Course Kirkland Tellwright explained: 'We had a wet weekend but it is now forecast to be substantially dry during the week. 'There could be some wet weather towards the end of the week and I would think it won´t be quicker than soft for Saturday´s meeting.'
