Denman Gold Cup Betting Guide

Denman Horse Profile

Denman was born on 17 April 2000, less than a month after Kauto Star, at Colman O’Flynn’s stud in Fermoy, Ireland. His sire is the 1995 Epsom Derby third Presenting, who has made a phenomenal start to his career as a jumps sire, with one Gold Cup already under his belt thanks to War Of Attrition. Denman’s dam, Polly Puttens, has already produced nine winners over timber.

Denman was a big beast since his days as a yearling, so he was given plenty of time to fill his frame before ever venturing onto a racecourse. Once broken in, he was sent to Gold Cup-winning jockey Adrian Maguire, who also rode him at Liscarroll in his first point-to-point start in March 2005. Denman won by 12 lengths and attracted the attention of owner Paul Barber, another who had tasted Gold Cup success, who paid an undisclosed, although significant, sum for the big horse. Fearless punter Harry Findlay was offered a half share, which he accepted, and Denman was sent to Paul Nicholls to be trained.

Denman made a big enough impression on the trainer before he had run in the UK, as Nicholls bought his year-younger brother privately from the O’Flynn’s. His first start came in a 2 mile 6 furlong novice hurdle at Wincanton in October, and the whispers about the horse were loud enough that he started at 5/6. Denman dispatched his rivals under Christian Williams, and followed this up with an easy 16 length victory over the same course and distance a month later. A trip to Cheltenham on New Year’s Day was supposed to provide his first real test, but he ran his rivals into the ground with a crushing 21 length victory.

The Royal and SunAlliance Hurdle was nominated as his festival target, and after a 1/12 win at Bangor the bookmakers made him a short price favourite to go five from five. The build up talked about a duel with Black Jack Ketchum, but he was rerouted to a longer race and Denman started as one of the bankers of the week in the eyes of the public. The race ended in his first defeat, as the Irish raider Nicanor showed more speed to forge ahead after the final flight. Nicholls was far from despondent, as he had always viewed him as a chaser-in-waiting, and Denman was given the summer off to come back and start over fences that autumn.

The long term target for the next season was the Royal and SunAlliance Chase, and Harry Findlay began to back his horse at all rates from a high of around 12/1. Denman’s chasing career started with two workmanlike victories at Exeter and Cheltenham, then in November at Newbury he scared off any credible opposition and sauntered home at 2/11. His jumping had looked solid up to this point, but he was doing nothing spectacular with a series of bloodless victories. His trial for the festival back at Newbury brought only two rivals, yet they never managed to get on terms and he jumped the last few fences in complete isolation. A year on, Denman again went into the festival as one of the bankers, and went off at 6/5 in his bid for a ninth victory in ten starts.

Leading for most of the way, only Aces Four could keep up the gallop for the final mile, and when that horse blundered the third last Denman was left alone to power up the hill for a ten length triumph, landing Harry Findlay a million pound windfall. When stablemate Kauto Star won the Gold Cup two days later, connections began talking of a showdown twelve months later, although at the time there appeared to be other serious pretenders to Kauto’s crown. Once again, the festival was to be the last race of Denman’s season, and he would return to face a baptism in the big leagues.

After displaying a strong liking for Newbury, the Hennessy Gold Cup was considered a good place to start this season, despite the fact that he would be giving weight to all rivals in what is always a strong contest. Connections were not worried about a few extra pounds on the back of a huge horse, but Nicholls expressed doubt that he was fit enough for his first run back in such a competitive race. They needn’t have been concerned, as Denman turned in one of the great weight-carrying performances of recent years to win by 11 lengths. Once again, no horse could live with him over the closing stages, and to jump the last few fences the way he did on soft ground caused the superlatives to flow. He usurped Kauto Star as Gold Cup favourite with some bookmakers and confirmed his status as a colossal talent.

Denman’s next start was at Leopardstown in Ireland for the Lexus Chase, where Ruby Walsh rode him from the front and he never looked in danger of being passed to record a four-length victory. He was back at Newbury for his Gold Cup prep last month, treating a weakened field with typical disdain, and has had a clear run to his D-Day against Kauto Star. Ruby Walsh has chosen to stick with Kauto, but Sam Thomas has got on well with Denman and jockeyship should not play a large part at Cheltenham. Harry Findlay has eulogised about his ‘bulldozer’, and states that he is unbeatable on soft ground, yet equally effective on good, and the form book does little to confound this. He has won 12 of his 13 races by a combined total of 162 lengths, starting at odds-on in over half. It will require a performance of the ages to beat Kauto Star but Denman has been nothing but dominant throughout his career and many feel his march to Gold Cup glory is unstoppable.

Kauto Star v Denman 2008 Guide

Kauto Star Horse Profile

Gold Cup 2008 Betting Guide

Gold Cup 2008 Betting Odds