 Madison du Berlais claimed Denman's scalp at Kempton earlier this month |
Trainer David Pipe believes his charge Madison du Berlais is a live contender to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The eight-year-old beat Gold Cup holder Denman at Kempton three weeks ago and is now the 8-1 fourth favourite for the 13 March blue riband event. "I didn't think I would be saying at the start of the year that we have a live Gold Cup candidate," said Pipe. "He is a great horse and deserves his chance. He is young and improving and has place chances in the race." Kauto Star, the 2007 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner and runner-up last year, has been installed as favourite after stablemate Denman's defeat at Kempton. Kauto Star reinforced his own claims with a third straight win in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, while another Paul Nicholls runner, Neptune Collonges, who handed the trainer a 1-2-3 in the Gold Cup 12 months ago, is third favourite.  | 606: DEBATE |
Madison du Berlais, who won the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November, will be ridden by Tom Scudamore, who will try to achieve what his famous father and Martin Pipe stalwart Peter never did - win a Gold Cup. "This will be my fourth ride in the race, and up to now I have been having a good view of things (of the finish) from the top of the hill," said Scudamore. "So it is great to be going there on a horse with a real live chance. We will see if his run when beating Denman was a true performance, but it was a tremendous performance on the day anyway. "He has done us proud. I am really looking forward to it. He has won on good and soft ground, over all sorts of distances and goes left and right-handed. "I don't know if I will have a sit on him again beforehand. I will leave that to Mr Pipe and the team. They have done a great job with the horse at home - he is in very good form."
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