Collonges to be Cheltenham king
Hussard Collonges has been a "nearly" horse this season but that could all change in the big one a week on Thursday.
For that is when the Peter Beaumont-trained chaser tackles the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup as he bids to give his trainer a second success in the blue riband following Jodami 10 years ago.
Hussard Collonges proved his liking for the Prestbury Park venue when springing a 33-1 surprise at the Festival last year in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase, jumping well and staying on in game fashion up the famous Hill to beat Iznogoud with the smart Chives back in third.
Beaumont’s admirable gelding has not met with easy tasks as a result this term but ran a cracker first time up when badly off at the weights with winner Marlborough in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby.
He then shouldered a big burden in the Hennessy at Newbury and was far from disgraced when finishing fifth after trying to make all.
The Peter Marsh at Haydock came next and only the concession of 15lbs to fellow Gold Cup hope Truckers Tavern proved too much on the day as he just had to give second-best on the run-in.
Beaumont afterwards indicated he would send his charge for the Irish Hennessy but perhaps wisely decided to give that race – one he has fond memories of after winning it three times with Jodami – a miss.
He comes to Cheltenham a fairly fresh horse as a result and his trainer can hardly wait to see his horse take on the best off level weights.
“Of course it would be lovely to have tried to win the Leopardstown race but if we had taken Hussard Collonges across then the Gold Cup would have been his fifth tough one of the season,” Beaumont said.
Hussard Collonges completed his final key workout before the big day with a racecourse gallop under regular pilot Russ Garrity on Thursday and delighted his trainer in a spin over a mile and three-quarters.
“Russ was happy and everything went to plan,” Beaumont said. “We just need a bit of luck over the next fortnight to get him there in top shape.
“I’m hoping for a bit of rain in the run-up to the race but I’m trying not to panic yet. You’ve got think he has a great chance in the race but there will be plenty of runners and all their trainers will be thinking the same.”
The SunAlliance is often thought of as a race which can bottom a novice for the future but that is not always the case – Looks Like Trouble followed up his win in 1999 with glory in the Gold Cup the following year – and the efforts of Hussard Collonges this season show he too is still on the upgrade.
Of course reigning champion Best Mate is still the horse to beat and he has been campaigned specifically with this race in mind.
He has only raced twice since his 2002 success, his last outing being in the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day when he just prevailed in a tight finish from Marlborough.
“He’s the people’s horse and I just hope he lives up to expectations again,” trainer Henrietta Knight said.
And her wily husband and assistant Terry Biddlecombe feels there is more to come from a horse who is still relatively lightly raced over fences.
“You’ve got to remember that this was just his sixth or seventh race over fences,” he said after Kempton. “He is a young horse and on a little bit better ground he might be even better.”
Exciting Irish novice Beef Or Salmon will be a grave danger if his jumping stands the rigours of Cheltenham at championship pace.
He has shot to prominence with impressive victories in the Ericsson Chase and Hennessy Gold Cup, and remains unbeaten in four starts over fences.
“He is better than Dorans Pride who won this race for me in 1998 and I don’t care what ground we have at Cheltenham it won’t bother Beef Or Salmon,” says trainer Michael Hourigan.
Beef Or Salmon was all the rage in the betting ring before the Hennessy and Timmy Murphy looked confident all the way after biding his time until well into the final mile and quickening clear after the last.
“Beef Or Salmon travelled as well as I wanted him to and there were no problems really. He was brilliant three-out and came home very well,” Murphy said.
But Hussard Collonges is going to go off at a backable price – he currently trades at 10-1 with Coral – and his style of running means he will be up there out of danger from the off which is never a bad thing in this race.
He is a proven stayer to boot who will be sticking to his guns as well as any at the finish.
They are not bad qualities to have around the Cotswolds track and further improvement is on the cards over the longest trip he has tackled to date, although fast ground would be something of a concern.
Admittedly Best Mate has few chinks in his armoury but his price reflects that now and Hussard Collonges looks a great each-way bet at the very least as it is hard to see him finishing out of the frame.
Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup, sponsors’ betting: 11-8 Best Mate, 4-1 Beef Or Salmon, 9-1 Hussard Collonges, 12-1 Commanche Court, 16-1 Behrajan, Chives, Keen Leader, See More Business, 25-1 Colonel Braxton, It Takes Time, Marlborough, Rince Ri, 33-1 Cyfor Malta, First Gold, Fondmort, Harbour Pilot, Le Coudray, Truckers Tavern, 40-1 bar.
William Hill: 6-4 Best Mate, 7-2 Beef Or Salmon, 9-1 Hussard Collonges, 12-1 Valley Henry, 14-1 Commanche Court, 16-1 Behrajan, Chives, 20-1 Marlborough, See More Business, 25-1 Colonel Braxton, Cyfor Malta, Harbour Pilot, 33-1 First Gold, It Takes Time, Le Coudray, Rince Ri, Truckers Tavern, 40-1 bar.
Coral: 6-4 Best Mate, 7-2 Beef Or Salmon, 10-1 Hussard Collonges, Commanche Court, 12-1 Behrajan, 14-1 Marlborough 16-1 Chives, 20-1 First Gold, Colonel Braxton, Valley Henry, Florida Pearl, See More Business, Rince Ri, 25-1 Harbour Pilot, Truckers Tavern, 33-1 Cyfor Malta, Fondmort, Le Coudray, 40-1 bar.
Ladbrokes: 6-4 Best Mate, 4-1 Beef Of Salmon, 8-1 Hussard Collonges, 10-1 Commanche Court, Keen Leader, 12-1 Valley Henry, 14-1 Behrajan, 16-1 Chives, See More Business, 20-1 Colonel Braxton, Marlborough, 25-1 Harbour Pilot, Truckers Tavern, 33-1 First Gold, Fondmort, Rince Ri, 40-1 bar.
