Llewellyn looking ahead

Hennessy could be aimed at Newbury’s valuable staying handicap chase that shares his name following his dramatic victory in the Bet365 Gold Cup.

Given an inspired ride by Tony McCoy, Hennessy got up in the dying strides to deny Briery Fox by a neck in the Sandown showpiece on the last day of the jumps season.

That success now has trainer Carl Llewellyn targeting other similar races, including the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup on November 28 for Malcolm Denmark’s eight-year-old.

“We’ve had him out, he’s got a few nicks behind but he’s fine apart from that,” said the Upper Lambourn handler, who hailed McCoy’s performance as “brilliant”.

“Obviously the Hennessy is a possibility. He’s well-named for it.

“There are plenty of staying chases to go for.”

Llewellyn, who won the race on Beau in 2000, reflected on McCoy’s incredible riding performance.

“It was amazing wasn’t it? Very few people would have won on him,” he went on.

“The horse wasn’t really going or travelling with him at any stage. He just had a great mixture of not bullying him too much and keeping him in touch just to have a chance in the race. It was brilliant.

“He (McCoy) regularly seems to be winning races you think he shouldn’t be winning. This was in the same league as his ride on Wichita Lineman at Cheltenham.

“He’s an amazing guy.”