Five to follow for the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Greatwood Handicap Hurdle

The weights for the Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase will be published on November 5 and there shouldn't be too many surprises for the handful of Irish runners or Harry Derham's new recruit Imagine.

The winners of the last two renewals, Stage Star and Ga Law, both figure among the entries as do the 2023 third and fourth Il Ridoto (also fourth in 2022) and Fugitif. The ante-post market is headed by Ginny's Destiny, trained - like Stage Star and Il Ridoto - by Paul Nicholls, and who, like last year's winner, has a rating of 155 after a fine novice season that saw him finish second at the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals.

Imagine is the only other runner priced up in single figures at this stage and publication of his handicap mark is keenly awaited but he won't fly under anyone's radar, including the handicapper, and this would be only his second run in a handicap under either discipline.

DJELO (Venetia Williams)

Productive first season over fences, winning his first three - two handicaps and a Grade Two - before falling at the first in another Grade Two. Last three starts came in the grade above and exposed his limitations but there's not an awful lot wrong with his Turners' third behind Grey Dawning and Ginny's Destiny and there's every reason to hope for further improvement in this second chasing campaign. Stable saddled Easy As That to finish sixth last year and Belami Des Pictons fourth in 2019.

GA LAW (Jamie Snowden)

Rated almost a stone lower when winning this in 2022 but ran well in a decent handicap at Chepstow on his return (replay below), a run that will tee him up perfectly for a tilt at this prize (he had a similar prep run when victorious in 2022), suggesting that he's still competitive from his current mark. Obviously well suited by the demands of this test which counts for plenty and likely to give his running for all he may be vulnerable if the less exposed, more touted runners, deliver.

IMAGINE (Harry Derham)

One of those high profile, less exposed runners and attention will only be heightened given his €320,000 price tag following the Caldwell Construction dispersal. Made (joint) favourite for the Martin Pipe in 2023 and ran well enough in fifth off 139 but looked a better chaser and his debut defeat of Inowthewayurthinkin stands out in light of the latter's mockery of his handicap mark (145) in the Kim Muir, for all that he progressed through the season and was running over 10 furlongs further in March. Imagine is expected to relish this trip and disappointing if he doesn't fulfil the promise he showed for his former trainer.

IN EXCELSIS DEO (Harry Fry)

Jumping was an issue last season - his second campaign over fences - and contributed to his defeat in the Plate at the Festival where he still managed to finish fifth despite several mistakes and meeting interference. Duly made amends at the track's April meeting (Idalko Bihoue fifth), winning readily, and possibly a shade fortunate not to be hit with a higher handicap rise. Barely jumped a fence in the Galway Plate when fitted with cheekpieces but that tight, turning track may well not have been for him and better can be expected returned to Cheltenham where his Festival fifth is his worst finishing position in four visits.

LETS GO CHAMP (Henry de Bromhead)

French Dynamite came close to breaking the Irish hoodoo (2009 their last success) in 2022 and given their domination of the jumping game at present, it surely won't be long in happening. Gavin Cromwell has a couple entered up but this relatively lightly raced nine-year-old shouldn't be ignored following his good sixth in the Galway Plate. That was only his third handicap start after a couple of spins behind Embassy Gardens and American Mike and bodes well for his chances of continuing to make an impact in similar races and this well bred individual may continue to make up for lost time.

The weights for the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle are published on the same day and there are a handful of Irish trained runners, some of whom are a little harder to pin down.

Iberico Lord won last year's renewal off 126 to provide Nicky Henderson with his first success in the race while 2022 saw I Like To Move It defy top-weight and 142 to provide Nigel Twiston-Davies with a second victory after Khyber Kim in 2009.

Fergal O'Brien's exciting mare Dysart Enos is the ante-post market leader from Burdett Road and they are the only two runners priced in single figures. Dysart Enos had been due to contest the mares' novice hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but was declared a non-runner on the morning of the race after suffering an overreach; she was a leading fancy for that contest which was won by Golden Ace from Brighterdaysahead.

Brighterdaysahead went on to win at Aintree and made a successful reappearance on Friday after which Gordon Elliott said: “To be honest, she is good and it wouldn’t shock me if she ended up in the Champion Hurdle this mare. I think she is very good and with a fast gallop she will be better. We’ve been second and third in Champion Hurdles and I think this one is in the mix."

Dysart Enos has yet to run in a handicap but has a published mark of 131 and this race has been used as a launchpad for horses with pretensions of making up into championship contenders in their second season over hurdles.

Burdett Road was another to be ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival but he has been in action since, enjoying a successful summer campaign on the level. The last of the five four-year-old winners of this handicap was Old Guard in 2015 (from another four-year-old) but Adagio was beaten under a length into second in 2021 (Tritonic, entered again, fifth) and the age group is usually only represented by one or two runners if at all.

BE AWARE (Dan Skelton)

Second in the Novices' Championship Final on his handicap debut and final start of last season - a race in which Under Control and Iberico Lord (last season's Greatwood winner) finished first and second in 2023 - faring best of the more patiently ridden runners. There should be a good deal more to come from Be Aware after only four career starts and he hails from a stable that won this race in 2021 and 2016.

HANSARD (Gary & Josh Moore)

Won the Gerry Feilden (in which beaten favourite Under Control disappointed) before a respectable fifth in the valuable Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot in which few got involved from off the pace. That, again, could be an issue for a horse who is regularly held-up but this strong traveller - who remains open to progress - looks more than capable of picking up a race of this type when things fall his way.

JACOVEC CAVERN (Emmet Mullins)

One of two entries for a stable that won this in 2020 with The Shunter. Didn't cut much ice in four runs over hurdles for Paul Hennessy but returned to the flat (rated a high of 79 for Mick Channon) by Mullins this season, he proved that the fire still burns brightly. Made favourite for the Cesarewitch (ninth) after filling second spot at Galway, it wouldn't be any surprise if he showed career best form over hurdles for his new trainer and proved well handicapped.

TEDDY BLUE (Harry Derham)

Useful juvenile for Gary Moore who went on to show a consistent level of form in good handicap company. Didn't appear to find winning easy - just two victories - and was a little frustrating to follow prior to losing his way last season with connections resorting to various aides in an attempt to reverse his fortunes. They didn't work but it's possible that a change of scenery and new regime will reignite the fire and he's well handicapped having slipped from a high of 136 down to 127.

UNDER CONTROL (Nicky Henderson)

In good form in the spring of 2023 but only made the track twice last season, flopping at Newbury before better at Doncaster. Off since that Grade Two second in January before reappearing at Galway in August, running respectably in midfield. Handicapper hasn't budged since dishing out a 9lb rise for her defeat of Iberico Lord so she has enough to prove on the face of it but top yard's runners in this race merit respect and she has a big run in her if back to her best.

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