Stan`s in demand for Pink

Easy Kelso winner Stan`s Your Man was the best-backed horse for the Thomas Pink Gold Cup with Coral today and is now a 12-1 chance from 16-1 for the Cheltenham feature.

Trainer Ferdy Murphy confirmed the 11-year-old on course to shoulder a 3lb penalty for his success on Wednesday in Saturday`s #100,000 contest.

Stan`s Your Man entered the reckoning for the Thomas Pink after gaining the cheekiest of wins under Adrian Maguire at Kelso.

The gelding has a history of leg trouble and was having only his second start since May 1999 at the Borders track.

'He`s 100% this morning and he runs,' Murphy said. 'He`s come out of the race fantastic. In fact he didn`t have a race, it was just nice for him.

'His legs are ice cold this morning and we are very happy with him.

'He hasn`t that much mileage on him. He`s an 11-year-old so we want to press on with him. If he was an eight-year-old you`d plan it out differently with him.'

Dorans Gold proved popular with clients of William Hill and the Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old was shortened to 8-1 from 16-1.

However, Jonjo O`Neill`s Scrahan Cross will miss the race.

A spokeswoman for the Jackdaws Castle trainer said: 'It`s a non-runner.'

Before the Thomas Pink three previous winners of the equivalent race will be on parade. They are Tipping Tim (1992), Challenger Du Luc (1996) and Senor El Betrutti (1997).

Thomas Pink Gold Cup betting:

Coral: 2-1 Shooting Light, 6-1 Foly Pleasant, 10-1 Arctic Copper, Dorans Gold (from 14-1), 11-1 Exit Swinger, 12-1 Stan`s Your Man (from 16-1), Eau De Cologne, 14-1 Bindaree (from 16-1), Young Spartacus, 16-1 Robbo, Celibate, Korakor, 20-1 A Piece Of Cake, Cadougold, Iris Bleu, Samakaan, Red Ark, 25-1 bar.

William Hill: 7-4 Shooting Light, 6-1 Foly Pleasant, 8-1 Dorans Gold, 9-1 Exit Swinger, 11-1 Celibate, 14-1 Arctic Copper, Stan`s Your Man, 16-1 bar.