Benefficient one of 11 Irish in Paddy Power Nicky Henderson is responsible for seven of the 49 entries for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 16. The champion trainer has only won the race once before with Fondmort but could call upon Finian's Rainbow, Captain Conan, Rajdhani Express, Nadiya De La Vega, Kid Cassidy, Triolo d'Alene and Ma Filleule next month. Henderson said: "This weekend, we will find out where we are with the horses because the first of what I would call the main bunch will be running. I have no doubt that some of them will get tired, but there is still a bit of time between now and The Open. "We have got seven in the Paddy Power and all of them are very possible runners at this stage, but it is just a case of assessing things nearer the time. "Captain Conan could go, as could Nadiya De La Vega - she ran a very good race last year. Rajdhani Express is the horse we have always been pointing in that direction. He has done well over the summer and obviously there is no problem with jockey arrangements there because Sam (Waley-Cohen) will ride him. "Finian's Rainbow would be the very interesting one because he has had a wind operation and I am very hopeful that he will come back to himself. He ran very well at Sandown on his final start last season and look what the winner (Sire De Grugy) did on Saturday - they are calling him the young pretender to Sprinter Sacre now. Finian's showed there that he is on his way back, but he does need good ground to be seen at his best." Jonjo O'Neill has also won the Paddy Power Gold Cup once as a trainer, courtesy of Exotic Dancer in 2006. His entry this year is Johns Spirit, who warmed up for next month's showpiece with victory at Cheltenham in the two and a half-mile Equus-Fine Dining at The Festival Handicap Chase on October 19. O'Neill reported: "Johns Spirit is in good form and the Paddy Power Gold Cup will hopefully be the next stop for him. "You would have to be happy with his performance at Cheltenham last time. I don't know how strong the race was, but he travelled and jumped well and won nicely. "It will probably be a bigger field in the Paddy Power and I don't know if that will suit him, but Richie McLernon gets a good tune out of him and rides him well. "We will go there hopeful, but that's as confident as you could be because it is always a very hot race and you have got to have a lot of luck in running." David Pipe sent out Great Endeavour to win the 2011 Paddy Power Gold Cup, while his father Martin trained a record eight winners of the race. There are four entries from Pond House this year, headed by Dynaste who is the 5/1 favourite with the sponsors. The seven-year-old demonstrated high-class form in novice company last season, winning four of his five starts including the Grade One Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton Park. He was also successful in Grade Two events at Newbury and Aintree, while he opened his chasing account with a victory at Cheltenham. His only reversal came at The Festival, when he was runner-up to Benefficient, another Paddy Power entry, in the Grade Two Jewson Novices' Chase. Pipe is also responsible for the 8/1 second favourite Ballynagour, plus Grands Crus and Salut Flo. Benefficient is one of 11 Irish-trained entries, with other leading contenders including Marito, one of four entries for Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins, and Realt Dubh, one of Noel Meade's two entries. Paul Nicholls enjoyed his first Paddy Power Gold Cup victory in 2012 with Al Ferof and has six entries to choose from this year headed by Unioniste, successful in last season's December Gold Cup at Cheltenham, and Rolling Aces, who was a progressive novice last season. Nigel Twiston-Davies is the most successful current trainer in the Paddy Power Gold Cup with three victories and he has made two entries - Astracad, who was runner-up to a potentual November rival in Conquisto in the Grade Two Old Roan Chase at Aintree on Saturday, and the useful novice Double Ross. Another local trainer is Martin Keighley and he is likely to bid for the biggest success of his career so far with Champion Court, who has scored twice in Grade Two company at Cheltenham. Weights for the Paddy Power Gold Cup will be revealed next week.
