Denman Could Run Again this Season

Part-owner Paul Barber has not completely ruled out the possibility of his Gold Cup runner-up Denman turning out again this season.

Immediately after his fine effort behind stablemate Kauto Star on Friday connections stated he would be roughed off for the year.

However, he is reportedly thriving and his part-owner even believes he may have a reason for his lacklustre run at Kempton in February.

"After the race we said we weren't going to run him but as he's eating up so well I suspect Paul (Nicholls) hasn't turned him out in the field just yet, so we'll probably make our minds up in a couple of weeks," said Barber.

"Everything is open, favourite is probably that he'll be turned out in the field but that hasn't been decided completely. He might run again.

"I was extremely proud of him, I'd said the day before I thought he would do really well to finish in the first three.

"Even the trainer said he needed to climb a mountain, I thought it was like climbing Mount Everest but he got there and ran an extraordinary race.

"I must say I thought Sam Thomas rode absolutely to the letter how Paul told him to.

"He could not go out and attempt to dominate because we felt he wouldn't get home.

"Afterwards when the horse went into the winner's enclosure that reception brought tears to my eyes.

"I think I had more people ring me this year after he got beat in the Gold Cup than last year when he won it, as people were worried about him.

"A friend of mine in Ireland had spoken to a vet there who had said that the particular drug used to treat a fibrillating heart can leave side-effects to the extent that horses get depressed, not all but some do.

"I just feel that might be the answer to why it took him so long to come back to his proper form.

"Jess Allen (Denman's lass) coming back from having a baby had quite a lot to do with it as well, I think we need to make sure she stays in the yard.

"What I would love to do is go back to Cheltenham, I'm going to go and water the ground a bit more and then we might have a bit more chance of winning next year! We're not going to beat Kauto on that sort of ground but we could beat him if the ground was on the soft side," he told At The Races.