Tony McCoy expressed satisfaction with comeback kid Binocular, who came through a Wednesday schooling session with flying colours. The 14-times champion jockey put the JP McManus-owned six-year-old through his paces over 13 flights of hurdles at Nicky Henderson’s Upper Lambourn base.

Tony McCoy liked what he saw

Although Binocular impressed McCoy, his participation in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle is unlikely to be revealed until he works on Friday.

“His jumping was as good as it has been all season,” the rider told the Daily Telegraph. He schooled very well, and I was very happy with him, but we won’t know whether he runs until he works.”

Henderson last month ruled Binocular out of the Champion Hurdle – he was third in the race in 2009 – due to a muscle problem, which has since showed signs of improvement.

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McCoy rides Denman

Denman went into the race as a red-hot favourite after winning his second Hennessy Gold Cup earlier in the season but after blundering at the fourth from home, the pair parted company at the next fence.

Paul Nicholls’ charge will now head back to the Cheltenham Gold Cup for a third clash with stablemate Kauto Star and McCoy is hoping his mount will be back to his best on March 19.

“Paul is very happy with Denman and says he’s in great shape,” McCoy told Channel 4 Racing’s The Morning Line. I’m very much looking forward to it and obviously what happened at Newbury wasn’t the plan. He probably wasn’t 100% wound-up and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s a horse that does need to be 100%. He got a little bit tight into the first one in the straight and was a bit unlucky the way he landed as he kind of slipped. Maybe he frightened himself a little and that’s why he did what he did at the ditch. I’d like to think you learn something on every horse you ride and I think I learned enough about him that day. He has his quirks but he’s a very good horse and I suppose all the pressure is on Kauto Star now.”

Although Kauto Star won’t be aware of that will he Tony? The Best prices for the Gold Cup are;

Binocular out of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham

Nicky Henderson’s charge finished third behind stablemate Punjabi in the Cheltenham Festival feature last term and had been the favourite to claim the crown at the start of the season. However, an odds-on disappointment on his reappearance in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle last November was followed by another defeat, albeit a narrow one, in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

Binocular bounced back to winning form in a moderate event at Sandown earlier this month, but despite his easy success, Henderson was not satisfied and the six-year-old underwent a full examination.

Tony McCoy is 8/15 with Sky Bet to ride reigning champion Punjabi in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle. The champion jockey’s intended mount, Binocular, misses the race because of a muscle problem and the battle is on to secure his services.

Punjabi will require a new jockey if Barry Geraghty elects to partner Zaynar ahead of his stablemate. Tony McCoy, who regularly rides for trainer Nicky Henderson, is 11/4 to partner Zaynar. It’s 10/1 he rides any other horse and 6/1 he doesn’t have a mount in the race.

Kauto Star v Denman clash is on for 2010

After putting in a practically perfect round to five out under his intended Cheltenham Gold Cup rider McCoy, Paul Nicholls’ runner clattered the fourth-last and was lucky not to unship McCoy.However, he met the next fence all wrong again and McCoy could not hold on this time and tumbled out of the plate. That allowed stablemate Tricky Trickster to just edge out Niche Market in a thrilling finish.

Denman is out to 3/1 for the Gold Cup with Stan James after his defeat in the Aon Chase at Newbury earlier this afternoon. Winner Tricky Trickster was cut to 10s from 16s for the Grand National.


4-6 Kauto Star (from 5/4)
3 Denman (from 7/4)
10 Cooldine
12 Imperial Commander
20 Taranis
33 Notre Pere
33 Tricky Trickster
50 Carruthers

Grand National 2010 ~ Outright Ante Post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 4)


10 Tricky Trickster (from 16s)
14 Niche Market
16 Black Apalachi
16 Possol
16 Big Fella Thanks
20 War Of Attrition
20 Vic Venturi
25 State Of Play
25 Comply Or Die
25 Whinstone Boy
25 Taranis
25 Backstage
25 Mon Mome
33 Bar

William Hill offer 11/4 Denman
The Gold Cup ante-post market received an unexpected shake-up after second-favourite Denman fluffed his lines in his warm-up Aon Chase run this afternoon.

The ten-year-old unseated Champion Jockey Tony McCoy following a blunder at the third last, and has now been eased out to 11-4 from 9-4 with William Hill for his Gold Cup bid. Hills also shortened long-time ante-post favourite Kauto Star to Even money from 5-4.

The eventual victor and runner-up both received cuts for the Grand National with winner Tricky Trickster shortening to 14-1 from 16-1 at the head of the betting, and Niche Market trimmed to 16-1 from 20-1.



Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup: Evs Kauto Star, 11-4 Denman, 14-1 Cooldine, Imperial Commander, 33-1 Taranis, What A Friend, 50-1 Carruthers, 66-1 Albertas Run, Madison du Berlais, Money Trix, Notre Pere, Tricky Trickster, 100-1 Air Force One, Aran Concerto, Calgary Bay, Casey Jones, Cloudy Lane, Glencove Marina, In Compliance, My Will, Rare Bob, Schindlers Hunt, Trabolgan,150-1 Mon Mome, Roll Along, 500-1 Cerium, Mr Pointment ALL QUOTED (EW 1/4 1,2,3)
John Smiths Grand National 2010: 14-1 Tricky Trickster, 16-1 Niche Market, 20-1 Big Fella Thanks, Black Apalachi, Possol, 25-1 Backstage, Casey Jone, Character Building, Comply or Die, Don’t Push It, Mon Mome, State Of Play, Taranis, Vic Venturi, 33-1 Albertas Run, Ballyholland, Can’t Buy Time, Dream Alliance, Ellerslie George, Gone to Lunch, Hello Bud, Le Beau Bai, Madison du Berlais, Notre Pere, Our Vic, The Package, War of Attrition, Whistone Boy, 40-bar (EW 1/4 1,2,3, 4)

Kauto Star v Denman clash is on for 2010

TONY McCOY, (in the Racing Post) revealed on Saturday as the jockey who will ride Denman in the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, thinks the dual Hennessy winner is the horse to capitalise on any chinks in the armour of reigning champion Kauto Star.

The champion jockey has never ridden Denman, but will be on board the horse they callThe Tank in the Grade 2 Aon Chase at Newbury next Saturday, before partnering the giant chaser in a mouth-watering clash with his Paul Nicholls-trained stablemate Kauto Star at Cheltenham on March 19.

Speaking on Sky Sports News on Saturday morning, McCoy, whose only victory in the Festival showpiece came aboard Mr Mulligan in 1997, said: “The Gold Cup being the race it is, and having those two horses in it this year, to get on one of them is every jockey’s dream – it’s great.

“Denman’s won two Hennessys, a Gold Cup and is a very powerful horse. If there’s any chinks in Kauto Star’s armoury, he’ll find them out – that’s for sure.”

Looking ahead to the Aon – a race the Paul Barber and Harry Findlay-owned gelding won en route to his Gold Cup success in 2008 – McCoy added:

“All being well, I’ll get to ride him next Saturday at Newbury, which is something I’m really looking forward to.”

Kauto Star and Denman have dominated the Gold Cup betting for most of the season and McCoy is expecting something special at Cheltenham.

He said: “They are two exceptional horses that are hopefully going to put on an exceptional show and hopefully Denman will come out on top.”

Ruby Walsh (in the Racing Post) admits that his decision to ride Kauto Star over Denman in the Totesport Gold Cup in March “was very difficult” and says he has “no idea” if it is the correct choice. Quoted in Saturday’s Irish Examiner, Walsh said:

“The reason for having to make such an early choice came when Denman’s owners were anxious that whoever rode their horse at Newbury would also be aboard at Cheltenham. The reasoning was that they simply want Tony to get a feel of Denman at Newbury. That’s obviously fair to everyone involved, although I have to admit I would love to be able to sit on it for another couple of weeks. Denman’s performance at Newbury is going to be crucial and, in an ideal world, I’d have wanted to wait until after that race. Anyway, what’s done is done and, as long as we both remain sound, Kauto and I will be seeking a third Gold Cup in five weeks and six days’ time.

“But I’m long enough in this game to know that so much can change between now and then. Tony and Iand Kauto Star and Denman have to arrive in one piece before all of this falls into place. It was a very difficult decision and I have no idea if I’ve got it right.”

Tony McCoy has been snapped up to ride the 2008 Gold Cup winner after Walsh told his owners that he would be staying loyal to Kauto Star, a horse who has provided him with two Gold Cup victories.

The two best horses and the two best jockeys will fight out the Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 19 at Cheltenham!

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Tony McCoy Rides Denman

The 14-times champion jockey has yet to ride Denman, but will be at the helm for the Aon Chase at Newbury on Saturday week before renewing acquaintance at Cheltenham. Joint-owner Paul Barber told the Daily Telegraph: “In fairness to Paul Nicholls, we had to lay the ghost.

“I’m sure Ruby would have wanted another four weeks to decide, but we have reached our decision -Tony McCoy rides.”

Denman has only ever been ridden under Nicholls’ tutelage by Walsh, Christian Williams and Sam Thomas. Thomas did the steering when the popular chestnut won the 2008 Gold Cup, defeating the Walsh-ridden Kauto Star by seven lengths, but was also on board when he fell at Aintree last spring. Barber feels the recruitment of McCoy will bolster the chances of Denman wresting away the Gold Cup from Kauto Star, who last year became the first horse in history to regain the Cheltenham showpiece.

He said: “We know that to be taking on Ruby on Kauto Star, we need to have a jockey who is at least his equal.

“We wouldn’t want a situation where we were theoretically giving away several pounds. You can’t do that if you want to win a Gold Cup.”

Denman’s chances of winning this year’s Gold Cup were heightened considerably by his remarkable success in the Hennessy Gold Cup in November. Before that, however, many questioned whether he would ever be the same horse following his 2008 win at Cheltenham, after which he was found to have been suffering with an irregular heartbeat.


He did not run again since February 2009, when he came home a weary second in a Grade Two at Kempton.

Although the son of Presenting finished an honourable second in last year’s Gold Cup, his fall at Aintree was thought at the time to have been another significant reverse. All that changed when he made a dramatic return to action with a glorious triumph in the Hennessy – considered to be one of the greatest weight-carrying performances of all time. Denman, who is also owned by professional gambler Harry Findlay, is now reported to be thriving in his home-work ahead of next weekend’s Aon Chase.

Barber said: “He jumped magnificently earlier in the week. He is in tremendous form.”

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