Hennessy Weights set to rise North Yorkshire trainer Malcolm Jefferson is in no rush to decide whether to let Cape Tribulation carry top weight in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. The nine-year-old now heads a 23-strong field for Saturday's hugely prestigious staying handicap following the anticipated defection of Tidal Bay, who finished fifth in the Betfair Chase at Haydock at the weekend. Jefferson had considered entering Cape Tribulation, who was pulled up on his seasonal debut in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, in the Long Distance Hurdle on the same card, but that idea has been scrapped. The Malton handler said: "The horse is in good form, but we haven't decided what we're doing yet. We'll see what the weather does and everything else. "We thought about the hurdle race, but we've sort of changed our minds. We haven't entered him for that in the end. If he runs he'll have top weight, but he carried top weight over hurdles at Aintree last year. We'll just have to see what happens." Ante-post favourite Invictus has been all the rage for the coveted prize following his three-length defeat of Bobs Worth at Ascot in February 2012, although he has not run since then. Trainer Alan King said: "He schooled (on Monday morning) over nine fences and he went well. He'll do a bit of work on the grass on Wednesday and that will be it. "Newbury have been very good to me, he's been here twice for a gallop and that has been a big help. He hasn't run for a while and he's certainly going to improve, but he's as fit as I can get him at home." Other leading fancies to have stood their ground include Rocky Creek, Katenko and Our Father. Paul Nicholls is the only person to win the race as both a jockey and a trainer and believes Rocky Creek has what it takes to win the Hennessy - but he has no desire to look too far ahead. He said: "He did well last season, winning three races including the Reynoldstown. I've given him a couple of racecourse gallops and he's done plenty of schooling, I couldn't get him any fitter." "He's an out and out stayer, but whether he's a Gold Cup horse is a different matter. I'm not sure where we'll go after this, we'll take it one step at a time." David Pipe is hoping Our Father will be able to follow in the footsteps of his 2008 winner Madison Du Berlais, but is not getting carried away by his prominent position in the market. "Our Father is very good first time out, but for some reason his form tails off after that. He's in very good form, the track and distance will be absolutely fine, but he's probably a shorter price than he should be," he said. "It would be fantastic to win another Hennessy. David Johnson was involved in this horse so it would obviously mean a lot to his family and the whole yard." Irish interests are spiked by the likely participation of last season's RSA Chase winner Lord Windermere, who represents the Jim Culloty team. Culloty said: "I think he's got a great chance, I really fancy him. I always hoped he would turn into a RSA horse and he did us proud at Cheltenham. "Robbie McNamara (who rides on Saturday) rode him once last season and when he schooled him (on Monday morning) he said he is twice the horse he was last year." Champion trainer Willie Mullins has left in Prince De Beauchene, Terminal, On His Own and Vesper Bell. Fellow Irish challenger Whodoyouthink, trained by Oliver McKiernan, is at the foot of the weights. Clerk of the course, Richard Osgood, gave the current going conditions as good-to-soft on the chase course and soft, good-to-soft in places on the hurdles course.
