Kandjar D´Allier Set For Paddy Power Return

Trainer Alan King revealed today that Kandjar D´Allier is in fine fettle ahead of his seasonal reappearance in the #110,000 Grade Three Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday, November 11.

The eight-year-old grey ran a fine race in the two mile, four and a half furlongs handicap chase last term when four lengths third to Our Vic on his seasonal bow, and King has stuck to the same plan this season.

The Barbury Castle trainer reported: 'I´m very happy with Kandjar D´Allier´s preparation. The Paddy Power Gold Cup has been his target all along. I´m obviously very happy that the weights went up as 10st 5lb is a nice weight to have and we´re set to go there with a good chance.

'He´s a better horse fresh and that´s the reason he hasn´t had a run before now. He lost his way a little bit last season but that was my fault because I ran him back two weeks after the Paddy Power Gold Cup in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, and it was too soon for him.'

Kandjar D´Allier was pulled up in the Hennessy and failed to fire in his next two outings, but returned to winning ways with a confidence-boosting victory over hurdles at Chepstow in March.

King commented: 'I think he definitely needs a minimum of three weeks between races and we´ll be looking to run him in those good two and a half mile handicaps at Cheltenham this season.

'I wouldn´t be worried about the ground for him. He handles soft, and we´d just like some nice ground.'

The Paddy Power Gold Cup is one of the highlights of the season and has attracted a typically strong entry, which could include the David Pipe-trained sextet of Therealbandit, Contraband, Tamarinbleu, Commercial Flyer, Bannow Strand and Vodka Bleu.

Other intended runners include the Irish raider In Compliance, the Paul Nicholls-trained Taranis, Carl Llewellyn´s representative Too Forward, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Knowhere, and Nicky Henderson´s duo, Copsale Lad and Mariah Rollins.

The Paddy Power Gold Cup is the highlight of the three-day Open Meeting at Cheltenham, which takes place on the weekend of Friday, November 10, to Sunday, November 12. Sponsors Paddy Power are offering odds of 11/4 that David Pipe can continue his family´s dominance of the Paddy Power Gold Cup by training the winner of the race on Saturday at Cheltenham.

The bookmakers report that Vodka Bleu has emerged as the best-backed of the Pipe runners in the race and is now 8/1 from opening odds of 14/1.

Taranis remains the 4/1 favourite for the big race for the all-conquering Paul Nicholls stable. In Compliance, trained by Michael O´Brien, heads the Irish challenge for the race at 13/2 second favourite following a convincing win at Down Royal last weekend.

Paddy Power have also released betting on who will emerge as top jockey and trainer at the three-day Open Meeting. Ruby Walsh is clear market leader at 7/4.

The betting on top trainer suggests that Paul Nicholls and David Pipe will battle it out over the three days. Paddy Power make Nicholls the 5/4 favourite with Pipe at 13/8.

Latest Paddy Power Odds on the Paddy Power Gold Cup

• 4/1 Taranis
• 13/2 In Compliance
• 8/1 Vodka Bleu
• 8/1 Contraband
• 10/1 Commercial Flyer
• 12/1 Copsale Lad
• 12/1 Too Forward
• 14/1 Kandjar D´Allier
• 14/1 Tamarinbleu
• 14/1 Chilling Place
• 16/1 Knowhere
• 16/1 Tumbling Dice
• 16/1 Sir Oj
• 16/1 Bannow Strand
• 20/1 Graphic Approach
• 20/1 Exotic Dancer
• 20/1 Billyvoddan
• 25/1 Mariah Rollins
• 25/1 Ground Ball
• 25/1 Nayodabayo
• 33/1 Kelrev
• 33/1 Therealbandit
• 33/1 New Alco
• 40/1 Tighe Castle
• 40/1 Butler´s Cabin
• 66/1 Calatagan
• 100/1 Another Joker

Each Way a quarter the odds 1,2,3,4

11/4 David Pipe to train the winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup

Latest Paddy Power Odds on Top Jockey At the Paddy Power Open Meeting

• 7/4 Ruby Walsh
• 4/1 AP McCoy
• 9/2 Timmy Murphy
• 8/1 Richard Johnson
• 14/1 Mick Fitzgerald
• 14/1 Robert Thornton
• 14/1 Paddy Brennan
• 16/1 Barry Geraghty
• 16/1 Paul Carberry
• 25/1 TJ O´Brien
• 33/1 Sam Thomas
• 33/1 Graham Lee
• 33/1 Tony Dobbin
• 50/1 Paul Moloney

Latest Paddy Power Odds on Top Trainer At the Paddy Power Open Meeting

• 5/4 Paul Nicholls
• 13/8 David Pipe
• 6/1 Philip Hobbs
• 10/1 Jonjo O´Neill
• 16/1 Howard Johnson
• 25/1 Nicky Henderson
• 25/1 Nigel Twiston-Davies