Denman Strikes gold in Hennessy Denman put up a remarkable weight-carrying performance to win the Hennessy Gold Cup for a second time at Newbury. The 2007 winner, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh, outbattled his stable companion What A Friend to justify strong market support. The 11-4 favourite, carrying 11-12, pulled clear on the run-in to win by three and a half lengths from What A Friend (7-1). Niche Market (33-1) was three and three-quarter lengths away third and Barbers Shop (13-2) fourth. An emotional Nicholls said: "That was an exceptional moment, one I will never forget. "I said to Ruby going out that he had one horse to beat if everything went to plan - that one horse was What A Friend and it has turned out exactly like that. "To see a run like that from Denman is very, very special. "The Gold Cup is a long way off, both him and Kauto Star have proved as good as ever. "The Lexus Chase isn't a given (as the next run) for Denman and if it is bottomless in Ireland I may just say to Paul (Barber) that we should give that a miss and come back here for the Aon Chase instead. "We know he likes Newbury and it wouldn't bother me just giving him one run between now and Cheltenham as we know he is back to his best." Professional gambler Harry Findlay is Denman's other co-owner and he reflected: "I thought we would know after the first few fences how Denman was going to run but we didn't, which is a new thing as far as he is concerned. "We didn't know what to expect and he wasn't taking a cut at his fences. Whenever he has come down the home straight here at Newbury he has come down it like a missile and when he turned for home I screamed at him 'come on Denman, one more time'. "I'm so happy for the people here and coming to the last I saw the race as I would as a teenager - I just wanted him to win and it is something we will all remember."
