'It's a big day for him' – Kim Bailey on Gold Cup watch as Chianti Classico bids to defy top weight

You wonder what state this Premier handicap might have been left in had Storm Darragh not struck last weekend. Half of the runners, taking out four-fifths of the betting, held entries last Saturday. Chianti Classico, King Turgeon and Chambard were in the lost Becher Chase, while Ballygrifincottage was a ground-related non-runner in the London National.

How the market differs from six days ago is easy enough to rationalise. Chianti Classico is dominant in a way he wasn't in the Becher, because now he has the course form. He won the Ultima on the Old course in March, while King Turgeon and Chambard have both won over the National fences.

Chambard has even stronger track credentials than Chianti Classico. He is a course-and-distance winner from no less a race than the Kim Muir at the festival. He is rising 13 now and has always been an inconsistent overachiever. Lucy Turner has been aboard for both of his biggest days, but even she would be unlikely to know until a few fences in whether Chambard fancies it this time.

Course experience also forms much of the case for Java Point and The Newest One. They were second and fourth in an amateur riders' race at the November meeting, with The Newest One having won a similar event at the October fixture.

Those races were both of a much lower level. There was certainly not a rival like Chianti Classico. Trainer Kim Bailey suggested in the Racing Post earlier this week that this is his first Gold Cup trial. While Bailey rarely lacks confidence in his horses, that is an accurate assessment. If Chianti Classico wins this from a mark of 157 he deserves a shot at a major trial next.

As Bailey rightly pointed out, that is a question for after the race. To win this, Chianti Classico would not need to be Gold Cup class, just Grade 2 level in open company. All impressions to this point suggest that he is up to that.
Analysis by Keith Melrose

'King Turgeon will need to put up a career-best'

Storm Darragh scuppered plans to run impressive Grand Sefton winner King Turgeon in the Becher Chase last week so he instead takes on the progressive Chianti Classico in this competitive handicap.

The six-year-old, who was being aimed at Aintree before the meeting was cancelled, scored by ten lengths on his seasonal reappearance at Chepstow before winning the Grand Sefton by three and a quarter lengths.

"It's a nice race to go for but it's obviously competitive," said trainer David Pipe. "He's at the right end of the handicap and we're hoping he can run a good race. He'll need to put up a career-best performance, but he's made a great start this season and, given what he's done so far, anything else will be a bonus."

Having run over fences in France as a four-year-old, King Turgeon has plenty of chase experience, which he used to good effect when taking to the National fences last time and earning a career-best Racing Post Rating of 137.

On King Turgeon's proficiency over fences, Pipe said: "The French horses are often like that and jumping is definitely his forte."

David Pipe: Carrying on the family tradition in the Pertemps Final

David Pipe: "Jumping is definitely his forte"Credit: Alex Davidson

What they say

Kim Bailey, trainer of Chianti Classico
We trained him for the Becher and we're lucky there's this race. I'm not worried about the trip as I think he'll stay and we're hoping for a very good run. It's a big day for him. If he wins we'll have to look at something better, although he could still run in the Grand National.

Sam Thomas, trainer of Our Power
It's been a bit of a mission to get him back after the 2023 Coral Gold Cup, but he's in a good place now. He's been brilliant for his owners and has some good form at Cheltenham where he finished fifth in the 2022 Ultima. We saw there were not too many runners and felt this was a good starting point for him to hopefully get back on track.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Ballygrifincottage
Uncharacteristically Ballygrifincottage fell last time. I took him to Sandown last weekend but it was way too soft. Hopefully he’s got an each-way chance on nicer ground.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of The Newest One
It's a good race for him and there's not too many runners for the money. He's a tiny bit out of the handicap, but even at his age I think he's improving. He goes well around Cheltenham so we're hoping for a good run.
Reporting by Jonathan Harding

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