The Front Runner: five great runnings of Newbury's Saturday chase including Denman and Many Clouds

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If only everything in life was as reliable as Newbury's big handicap chase, now billed as the Coral Gold Cup but still known to many as the Hennessy because the brandy fans backed it for a whopping 60 years. I can't pretend that every running is scalded on my memory, but it's always an absorbing puzzle in advance and nearly always a thriller once the tape goes up.

It's also pleasingly classy. What kind of handicap has Mandarin, Mill House and Arkle on its roll of honour in the first ten years?

Gold Cup winners have often featured, whether as winners or also-rans. It's been a useful Grand National trial, although punters have sometimes had to look a fair way back down the field to spot the future Aintree hero. With the aim of describing the spirit of this great race, I've picked the five most memorable runnings – not exactly my five favourites, because I'm not sure I've backed the winner as many as five times.

It's a personal list, so you won't all agree with it. If I've missed a race that should be on there, or if you just want to share your own favourites, let me know by emailing frontrunner@racingpost.com.

1989: Ghofar

This was my first trip to Newbury, really exciting for a teenage racing loon from 400 miles away. It was a small field because of the ground (good to firm!) but I can't remember noticing any complaints about that – and why would you complain, with honest old stagers like Durham Edition, Gala's Image and Roll-A-Joint in the race?

I was a fan of Mr Frisk, so it was great to see him in real life. Quick ground was right up his alley but he couldn't give lumps of weight to nippy little Ghofar, who'd tried to make all the running over 2m4f at Ascot the previous weekend. Five months later, the National was also run on quick ground, producing a record time, and the Hennessy form worked out. The third, fourth and second from Newbury finished first, second and fourth at Aintree.

For an insight into how jump racing has changed, look at the size of the cross fence and the respect with which the runners treat it. I don't think brushing through it would have been a good option.

Ghofar and Hywel Davies return after winning the Hennessy Gold Cup in 1989Credit: Gerry Cranham

1992: Sibton Abbey

What fun to watch this again and see the massive Party Politics trucking along in front with a circuit to go, tracked by Gordon Richards' reliable Twin Oaks, another tall horse.

They were both eventually pulled up and the way seemed clear for Jodami, the 100-30 favourite, who cruised into contention. But this was an early introduction to the skills of Ferdy Murphy, whose 40-1 shot Sibton Abbey just would not let the favourite past, despite being a stone and a half out of the weights.

Oh well, favourites get beat sometimes. But Jodami won his next four races, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He must have been a good thing at Newbury, giving just 2lb to Sibton Abbey, who would eventually trail him in fifth at Cheltenham. Jodami had even had a prep run – but Sibton Abbey had already raced four times that season and perhaps it made the difference.

1998: Teeton Mill

It seems topical to mention this early star from the Venetia Williams stable, following her latest success in the Betfair Chase on Saturday. Teeton Mill was a charismatic, bouncy grey and arguably one of the great unsung talents in chasing history because he was given just one season in which to build his reputation.

He'd been with another yard, mopping up point-to-points and hunter chases, and didn't join Williams until he was nine years old. His first attempt outside hunter chases was in the Badger Beer, where he hacked up by eight lengths. Next, the Hennessy.

The market was more interested in Mary Reveley's Seven Towers, who'd won the Scottish Borders National, the Eider and the Midlands National the previous season. But, while he'd risen to his correct rating, Teeton Mill was just getting started. He beat his 15 rivals by 15 lengths, with Norman Williamson waving his whip at the crowd.

Norman Williamson waves his whip in celebration after winning the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newburyin 1998 on Teeton Mill

Norman Williamson waves his whip in celebration when winning the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newburyin 1998 on Teeton MillCredit: Edward Whitaker

He was almost as impressive in the King George, showed his versatility by stepping down in distance to win the Ascot Chase and then it all went wrong in the Gold Cup. He slipped a tendon off a hock before halfway and was pulled up, never to race again.

Lots of people insisted he wouldn't have stayed the Gold Cup distance, basing their argument on a defeat there the previous April, at which time Williams had had him less than a month and he was a mile short of the peak to which she later led him. I don't think I've ever felt so much confidence in a horse as when I sat down to watch that Gold Cup. It was horrifying to see him disappear out the side of the telly as the rest jumped the tenth. In various ways, we all pay for our education.

2009: Denman

It had been a deeply impressive effort when Denman won the 2007 Hennessy from a mark of 161, with Dream Alliance 11 lengths behind. This time, he was running off 174 and things had gone wrong for him the previous year, treatment for his irregular heartbeat seeming to have left him a reduced version of his former unbeatable self.

The last time we'd seen him, he took a crashing fall at Aintree's second-last. He hadn't won for 20 months, so it was a real act of faith for the public to make him 11-4 favourite against 18 rivals.

Down the back for the final time, Ruby Walsh allowed his mount to press on, piling pressure on those others, most of whom couldn't stick with him. What A Friend made a race of it but two big, assured leaps in the straight sealed it for Denman.

He gave 22lb to What A Friend that day and beat him three and a half lengths. The runner-up won Grade 1s on his next two starts. Denman's best was better than anyone.

2014: Many Clouds

Another 19-runner race and another winner of bottomless bravery in Many Clouds, who was a late-career gift for both Oliver Sherwood and Leighton Aspell. He remains the only horse to have won both this race and the Grand National, and he did it in the same season.

A lot of Newbury winners found it hard to win again, because the effort takes a lot out of you and the handicapper fires you up the ratings. Somehow, Many Clouds was able to put up one huge run in November and another in April, less common than might be imagined.

Spare a thought, though, for little Houblon Des Obeaux, who came out best at the weights in this Hennessy, giving 6lb to the winner while being beaten less than four lengths. He was another of Venetia's, now that I think of it. I wonder if she's got anything in Saturday's race . . .

Many Clouds (left) is out in front on the run-in to the 2014 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury

Many Clouds (left) is out in front on the run-in to the 2014 Hennessy Gold CupCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Who Am I?

Today's clue:

"I never wanted to be a trainer, it just came along. You might scan your eye down the list of winners and imagine that constitutes success but my plan was to be a jockey and then a farmer, neither of which quite happened, although I rode an important early winner in my own colours. They say I'm a good man to ride for – understanding, protective of a jockey's confidence – and perhaps that comes my from my own early experiences."

It's the start of a new week in our 'Who Am I?' quiz, based around a different racing personality each week. We'll give you a new clue every day, with the answer revealed on Friday.

Think you know who it is? Email frontrunner@racingpost.com to say who. I'll give a mention to everyone who gets it right.

Michael Bailey was back in the winner's enclosure last week, having been first to recognise our description of Best Mate, pulled up in his first point-to-point.

Three things to look out for today

1. Venetia Williams hit form over the weekend. Her record on Friday morning was 1-16 since May. Over Friday and Saturday, she had five winners from eight runners, including Royale Pagaille in the Betfair Chase and the 7-1 shot Fontaine Collonges hacking up by 12 lengths. She and stable jockey Charlie Deutsch have won with four of their last five, so we have to be interested in their only runner on Monday. It's Jo Lescribaa, a maiden five-year-old making his chasing debut in a Ludlow novice handicap (1.15).

Jo Lescribaa13:15 Ludlow

View Racecard

Jky: Charlie Deutsch Tnr: Venetia Williams

2. Matt Sheppard is another Herefordshire trainer whose string is on song, with form figures of 11312 over the past fortnight, despite none of those horses starting favourite. He has two runners in consecutive handicap hurdles at Ludlow. The chance of El Vigaro in a 2m race (2.15) is easy to see after his comfortable success at Uttoxeter nine days ago. Olivia Kate will be a bigger price in a race for novice mares (1.45).

3. Kabral Du Mathan should have more to offer in the handicap hurdle that closes Kempton's card (3.45), having won the Chatteris Fen when last seen in mid-January. The Fred Winter was a target at that point until a minor injury got in the way. Paul Nicholls said in his stable tour that he "belongs in the ‘could be anything’ category" and "looks well up to winning off his current handicap mark".