Haldon Gold Cup: 'He has a huge task at the weights' - Nicholls on Greaneteen

Friday: 3.35 Exeter
Betway Haldon Gold Cup (Grade 2) | 2m1½f | 4yo+ | ITV4/RTV

Nobody has saddled more winners of the Haldon Gold Cup than Paul Nicholls and it's a race that the Ditcheat trainer targets. Top names like Flagship Uberalles, Azertyuiop, Politologue and Greaneteen are on the roll of honour, and Greaneteen is back for the third season in a row.

The eight-year-old was making his seasonal reappearance when winning two years ago off a mark of 151, but he needed the run badly when beaten in the race last season, albeit from 17lb higher.

Greaneteen improved 11lb on Racing Post Ratings from his fourth in this last year to land the Tingle Creek on his next outing and this could be a prep for Sandown once again.

That is not to say Greaneteen can't win. He improved 7lb on RPRs from this race to finish second to Politologue in the 2020 Tingle Creek, so needed the run then and still won here.

Colin Tizzard landed this last year with Eldorado Allen and his son Joe bids to make it back-to-back wins in the race for the stable with a remarkably similar type in War Lord.

Eldorado Allen had finished second in the Arkle in his novice year and War Lord filled fourth spot in that same race last season before going on to take second in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree, over an extra half-mile, on his final outing of the campaign.

Eldorado Allen went on to prove himself a high-class horse over further than this intermediate trip and War Lord will probably do the same later this season, but the Tizzard team is knocking in winners everywhere right now and War Lord shouldn't lack for fitness.

Third Time Lucki is the other big contender and there is no doubt he will be primed. He has been off for 209 days, but his form figures following a layoff of at least 50 days read 311113.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

'Third Time Lucki's got a massive chance'

Dan Skelton is optimistic about winning Exeter's seasonal highlight for the first time with Third Time Lucki, who now tackles the senior chasers after a productive season in the novice ranks.

The seven-year-old won three of his six starts last season, scoring twice at Grade 2 level, and was last seen when third behind Gentleman De Mee in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree in April when a bad mistake four out cost him any winning chance.

Skelton said: "There's five runners and a small field suits him, as will a fast-run race. He shows great speed and I think he's got a massive chance.

"Greaneteen being declared gives him a nice weight and he's got to give 4lb to War Lord on ground I believe favours us so he's got to go well.

"Second-season chasers have a great record in the race. He's very good fresh and his form at the start of season is exceptional. He won two Grade 2s last season and didn't quite get the better of Edwardstone. He's not there this time so hopefully this is our big chance for the start of the season and then we'll plan things from there."

Third Time Lucki: has a great record freshCredit: Edward Whitaker

What they say

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Greaneteen and Dolos
Greaneteen seems in a really good place at the moment and he worked well when we took him for an awayday recently. He had none of that last season and was a bit behind when we ran him in this last year. He's purposely a lot fitter and sharper than he was then, but he still has a huge task at the weights. A mark of 168 is hard to win a handicap off and I expect Third Time Lucki, War Lord and Dolos will make him go a bit. Dolos seems to keep his best form for the spring for some reason, but he's had a good prep as well.

Joe Tizzard, trainer of War Lord
He seems in good form and had a lovely summer off. He'll need to improve a bit again on his novice form, which was very good, but this has been his big target for the first half of the season. He has a lovely racing weight and it'll be another step up for him, but I think he'll run a solid race.
Reporting by David Milnes

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