Greaneteen hands Nicholls record-extending eighth Haldon Gold Cup with spectacular performance

By Graham Clark

Paul Nicholls showered Greaneteen with plenty of praise following his “amazing performance” in the Betway Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter today before issuing a “bring it on” call to those willing to take him on in next month’s Betfair Tingle Creek at Sandown Park.

The Ditcheat handler likened the eight year-old’s victory in the feature Grade Two contest at the Devon track off a mark of 168 to that of the mighty Denman, who from a figure of 174 carried 11st 12lbs to glory in the 2009 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

Having claimed the extended two mile one prize off 17lbs lower in 2020, the Great Pretender gelding could finish fourth in the race 12 months ago off his current mark, but there was to be no repeat of that performance as he turned in a dynamic display today.

Sent straight into the lead, the 7-2 chance attacked every fence with plenty of zest in what was an almost flawless display of jumping from the triple Grade One scorer to form the highlight of a 10.4-1 treble together for Nicholls and jockey Harry Cobden.

The Joe Tizzard-trained War Lord was the first to feel the pinch with the seven year old feeling the pinch rounding the home turn, and with Us And Them already out of the race, it soon become a three way battle for victory.

That number dwindled to two with 7-5 Favourite Third Time Lucki making a serious error that cost him all chance of victory leaving just Nicholls’ other runner, Dolos, to challenge Greaneteen.

Try as he might Dolos could not close the gap on his higher rated stablemate with seven lengths splitting the pair at the line to earn the winner what Nicholls believes is the credit he finally deserves.

Nicholls, celebrating a record-extending eighth Haldon Gold Cup victory, said: “I’m half not surprised as I had said in the paper that he has been working better than ever and he seems stronger than ever. We were very happy with him and he was very fit.

“Last year I had problems with him and I didn’t have him ready and I knew I had to use this as a prep for the Tingle Creek. Today, if we were coming here, we were going to have him ready, and he was.

“I said to Harry if there is no pace just jump off and go a good gallop as all he does is stay. That was a great weight carrying performance. Dolos has run a blinder as he was ready for his life but he is not the level of the winner.

“When he winged the third last he just kept on galloping. That was a seriously good performance and puts him right up there. He has never really had the credit he deserves.

“I honestly believed he would win today as I had seen a lot at home. He went to Lambourn the other day with Frodon to do a piece of work and Frodon was still finishing when he had finished.

“Bryony said to me ‘I’m not sure Frodon is quite as good as he was, but I said ‘the other horse might just be very good and you have come up against a good one. It was probably the best he has ever worked and Harry couldn’t stop talking about it.

“Off 168 it is amazing performance in a handicap. Denman won what was the Hennessy of 174 and that is nearly up there with that. I had one bet today and that was him.”

Following the race Greaneteen was trimmed from 5-1 into 3-1 for the defence of his Betfair Tingle Creek Chase crown at Sandown Park on December 3rd with the race sponsor and Paddy Power.

Nicholls added: “He will go straight to the Tingle Creek now then we might go Champion Chase then on to Sandown (Celebration Chase).

“He was only beaten two lengths in it (Champion Chase) and he is twice the horse he was two years ago.

“Whether Shishkin goes to the Tingle Creek you can never be too bothered about one horse and Willie has a smart two-miler. This horse loves Sandown so bring it on.”

Like Nicholls, winning rider Cobden he was equally taken by the performance.

Cobden said: “I’m delighted. Me and Lorcan (Williams, on Dolos) had a good chat beforehand on what plan we were going to make as there was no speed in the race. He is a fair horse.

“He is not a big horse either and that was plenty of weight but he stays well. I probably should have gone quicker earlier on. He is just a good horse.

“Last night I was thinking he could do it as we took him away for a gallop and he set the back of the hill alight in Lambourn.

“Twelve months ago he wasn’t fit and it was Hitman’s race to have but he got chinned up the run in by Eldorado Allen. He has been trained differently. This is a good pot as that is £80,000 in the bag before the Tingle Creek.

“It is good to win and to have three winners on a day like today is fantastic.”