Bowen aims Take The Stand at Paddy Power Gold Cup

A total of 17 horses were confirmed yesterday for Saturday?s #110,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup, the highlight of The Open at Cheltenham.

Last year?s hero Fondmort is set to bid to retain his crown and become the first horse to record back-to-back victories since Bradbury Star in 1993 and 1994.

Martin Pipe, seeking his seventh Paddy Power Gold Cup has It Takes Time and Celestial Gold to rely on while fellow West Country handler Philip Hobbs, successful in 1989 with Joint Sovereignty, also has a strong hand with recent impressive Aintree winner Farmer Jack and Monkerhostin, triumphant last season in the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Paul Nicholls has yet to add to Paddy Power Gold Cup to his CV but has two possibles in Thisthatandtother and Le Duc, while the Gary Moore-trained Tikram, successful over the course and distance in last year?s Mildmay of Flete Chase at the Festival, is another leading contender along with Nigel Twiston-Davies? Ollie Magern, an impressive winner at Cheltenham last month.

Ireland has not landed the extended two and a half mile contest since Bright Highway in 1980 and this year could be represented by Colca Canyon, fifth to Beef Or Salmon in last Saturday?s James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase at Down Royal, and the Charlie Swan-trained Ground Ball, runner-up in the 2004 Grand Annual Chase at Cheltenham.

Peter Bowen is planning to send a strong team to Prestbury Park this weekend with Take The Stand and Ballycassidy likely to run at the championship course.

The Pembrokeshire trainer revealed yesterday: 'I would say that Take The Stand will definitely go for the Paddy Power Gold Cup.'

Take The Stand won this year?s English Summer National at Uttoxeter in June and followed up on his next start in a handicap chase at Newton Abbot in August.

On his most recent start, he was the 11-length runner-up to Farmer Jack in the totesport Wigan Chase at Aintree last month. If the winner lines up on Saturday, Take The Stand will meet his rival on 10lb better terms.

'Take The Stand will be a lot better horse than when he went to Aintree anyway,' enthused the handler. 'I would say that there?s definitely another big handicap in him. He came back from Aintree with a bit of a problem to his back and he?s had a fair bit of treatment since and that?s all fine now. 'Take The Stand probably came up against a well-handicapped horse at Liverpool but he?ll be a totally different horse this time and Seamus [Durack] will ride him again.'

The Paddy Power Gold Cup and the other Graded events at Cheltenham this weekend are among the 63 races involved in the British Horseracing Board?s new Order of Merit bonus scheme. The connections of the overall winner with the most points throughout the season will receive #200,000 - 75% to the owner, 12.5% to the trainer and the same again to the stable staff.

Stable companion Ballycassidy is also among the 17 remaining entries for the Paddy Power Gold Cup although Bowen revealed that the eight-year-old will probably make his seasonal debut in Saturday?s main supporting event, the #65,000 Grade Three Servo Computer Services Trophy Handicap Chase (3.20pm), over an extended three miles and three furlongs, which has attracted 17 leading staying chasers at the five-day stage.

Last season Ballycassidy won seven chases, including a Grade Two novices? chase at Newbury in November when getting the better of Native Emperor by a head.

'I would think that Ballycassidy will go for the Servo Computer Services Trophy Handicap Chase,' he said. 'He?s has done well over the summer. He had a bit of a blood problem early on when he was entered up and didn?t run. But he?s perfect now and is in good form.

'You never know until you take the handicappers on second season whether you?re well handicapped or not, but I would hope that he would improve a fair bit.

'You?d hope that there will be some big handicaps in Ballycassidy - on the work that he does with Take The Stand, you would think that he would be well handicapped.

'The trip wouldn?t be a problem to Ballycassidy especially around Cheltenham as he?s going to get better ground there than anywhere else which is what he wants.

'Richard [Johnson] normally rides him and as he knows him so well, that would be ideal but if Richard can?t ride him then obviously Seamus will.'

The feature hurdle event on Saturday is the #55,000 Listed Lombard Properties Handicap Hurdle (2.05pm), over an extended three miles and one furlong, with 20 possibles including the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Mistanoora and Bowen?s Mr Ed, first and third respectively in a handicap hurdle at Chepstow at the end of last month.

There is also Ad Hoc, trained by Paul Nicholls, the dual winner of Sandown?s betfred Gold Cup who could revert to the smaller obstacles, and the Philip Hobbs-trained Grey Report, who deserves another victory over timber having been placed in the first four on his last five starts.

Cheltenham?s quality six-race Saturday programme is completed by the concluding #30,000 Grade Two Jet UK Juvenile Novices? Hurdle (3.50pm), over an extended two miles, which has attracted 18 entries including Patrick Haslam?s facile Sandown winner this weekend Yankeedoodledandy, the opening #20,000-added Racing UK Novices? Handicap Hurdle (12.55pm), over an extended two miles, with an amazing 62 possibles, and the #20,000-added Jim Brown Memorial Novices? Chase (1.05pm), over an extended two miles and four furlongs, whose 16 entries include Martin Pipe?s Comply Or Die, who put in such an excellent effort to win a similar event at Wincanton on Saturday.

Rooster Booster, the 2002 Smurfit Champion Hurdle hero, heads the 17 five-day confirmation in the #70,000 Greatwood Hurdle, the highlight of the final day of The Open, Sunday, November 14.

Philip Hobbs? popular grey, also second in this year?s Smurfit Champion Hurdle, won this race under top weight in 2002 en route to glory at the Festival and could be joined by last year?s winner Rigmarole, as well as the 2001 victor Westender. Rigmarole?s trainer Paul Nicholls could also run Sporazene, last season?s Vincent O?Brien County Hurdle scorer, as well as Perouse, an impressive winner of the Grade Two totesport Elite Hurdle at Wincanton last Saturday.

There is a strong Irish challenge for the Greatwood Hurdle, headed by the 2003 Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices? Hurdle winner Back In Front, who recently confirmed his well-being with a win on Flat at Navan. The two other entries from Ireland are the Paul Nolan-trained Accordion Etoile, second to Solerina in a Grade One contest at Tipperary last time out and Noel Meade?s Power Elite, one of the leading Irish juvenile hurdlers last season and a recent dual winner on the Flat.

Other leading contenders including dual totesport Gold Trophy victor Geos, Trouble At Bay, twice a winner at Cheltenham last season and Dalaram, an impressive winner of the Free Handicap hurdle at Chepstow on his latest appearance.

Sunday?s main supporting event is the #50,000 Grade Two Independent Newspaper Novices? Chase (2.05pm), over two miles, which could feature up to 11 stars of the future including the Paul Nicholls-trained Sporazene, who will be bidding to make amends after his huge reputation took a dent when coming down at Exeter.

The #25,000-added Paddypower Casino Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (1.35pm), over two miles and five furlongs, with 34 possibles is sure to be a fiercely-competitive event. Racegoers will be hoping that champion trainer Martin Pipe will allow Lough Derg to make his seasonal bow in this contest as he was impressive when winning the Concord Quality Filing Products Juvenile Novices? Hurdle at Prestbury Park in April, defeating Zimbabwe by six lengths.

Sunday?s six-race card is completed by the opening #20,000-added Jets-Griffin Richard Davies Award Novices? Hurdle (1pm), over two miles and five furlongs, with 26 possibles, the #20,000-added Club16-24 Handicap Chase (3.15pm), over an extended two miles and four furlongs, which has attracted 32 chasers at the five-day stage, and the concluding race of the three-day Open Meeting, the #15,000-added Listed Festival Of Food Bumper (3.50pm), over an extended two miles.

The Open (Friday, Saturday & Sunday, November 12-14) comprises three days which herald the moment when jump racing takes centre stage. Each day has its own character and together they form an irresistible package. In recent years horses have travelled over from Ireland, France, Norway and the Czech Republic.