Champion trainer Paul Nicholls aiming for eighth Haldon Gold Cup on Devon’s richest raceday

Exeter Racecourse stages the richest raceday in Devon next Tuesday (November 2nd), which is Haldon Gold Cup Day.

The Grade Two Haldon Gold Cup is staged over just short of two and a quarter miles and boasts an outstanding roll of honour with the likes of Best Mate, Edredon Bleu, Cue Card and Politologue all having been successful since the turn of the century.

Paul Nicholls, the 12-times champion Jump trainer has already landed the Haldon Gold Cup on a record seven occasions and has two likely starters in 2021 -Greaneteen and Hitman.

Having made a triumphant return to action in the Haldon Gold Cup 12 months ago, Greaneteen went on to taste Grade One glory in the Celebration Chase on the last day of the season at Sandown Park in April when defeated the mighty Altior. If successful again in 2021, Greaneteen would become the first back-to-back winner of the contest since Edredon Bleu in 2002 and 2003.

Nicholls said: “What an improved horse he is from two years ago when he started jumping fences off a rating of 132. He has just progressed and we thought the Haldon Gold Cup would be good for him last season and he won that well.

“He is now rated 168, having improved again in the spring. He ran very well in the Champion Chase, not beaten very far, where I wish we made more use of him.

“He ran very well at Sandown where they went flat out and he relaxed. The biggest thing with him is getting him relaxed. When he ran in the Game Spirit (at Newbury) he ran too fresh and too keen and didn’t finish. I’m going to run him in the Haldon Gold Cup as a prep for the Tingle Creek at Sandown Park next month.

“He will run off his merits but off 168 winning the Haldon Gold Cup he would want to be very special. You need a prep for the Tingle Creek and that is his race. Hopefully, he can improve again.”

Hitman, who is part-owned by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, was a two-time winner last season and ended off the campaign with a fine third in the Grade One Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree.

Nicholls continued: “Hitman is a lovely horse and we will start him in the Haldon Gold Cup. He has got plenty of boot and two and a quarter around Exeter will suit him very well.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he improved a lot this season. He won well first time out then he ran very well on his second start over fences then he fell when travelling very well in the Scilly Isles at Sandown then won at Newbury and ran very well in the Grade One at Aintree.

“I thought he would win going to the last at Aintree but I think he was a little bit exuberant as he got left in front early in the race and he probably got outstayed from the back of the last. I think there is a lot to come.”

Colin Tizzard saddled Cue Card to victory in the 2012 Haldon Gold Cup and this time around is set to be represented by Eldorado Allen, a Grade Two winner at Cheltenham last season who went on to finish second in the Grade One Arkle Chase at the same venue.

Son and assistant trainer Joe Tizzard commented: “Eldorado Allen will start in the Haldon Gold Cup. He ran a blinder to be second in the Arkle. He was given a good ride to pick up the pieces but he was still good enough to be there.

“He is rated 151 and the Haldon Gold Cup is a good starting point for him. He is a good horse on his day and two and a quarter around Exeter will really suit him.

“I think he will end up getting a bit further and will step him up when we have to.

“He could well be a Ryanair Chase type. If ran well in a Haldon Gold Cup that puts him into that sort of bracket. There are stacks of options for him.”

The Haldon Gold Cup forms part of a seven-race programme at Exeter on Tuesday 2nd November, which runs from 12.55pm through to 3.55pm.

Jack Parkinson, General Manager at Exeter Racecourse, commented: “The Haldon Gold Cup is our most prestigious contest of the year here at Exeter and the highlight of the richest raceday in Devon, with over £140,000 in prize money on offer across the seven races.

“We are therefore over the moon to see such a strong list of entries and are eagerly anticipating a superb renewal of the Haldon Gold Cup on Tuesday.”

Tickets for Haldon Gold Cup Day start from just £15 and can be booked in advance online at https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/exeter/events-tickets/haldon-gold-cup/tickets/

Tickets will also be available on the day.