Kings Palace heads entries for Paddy Power Gold Cup

There are 52 initial entries for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 14.

Trainer David Pipe saddled Great Endeavour to win the race in 2011 and has four entries this time around including current ante-post favourite Kings Palace. Stablemate Monetaire is also prominent in the betting while the Pond House team is completed by Dell' Arca and La Vaticane.

"Kings Palace also has an entry in the Hennessy and will probably have one in the Betfair at Haydock as well," said Pipe.

"We'll decide closer to the time. They are all just entries at the moment."

Boondooma won at the track's recent Showcase meeting and is on course to return there for the £160,000 feature mext month.

Trainer Dr Richard Newland confirmed:  "Boondooma came out of his win at the weekend well and the plan is to come back to Cheltenham for the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

"I was very pleased to see him settle better in his race on Saturday. I think two and a half miles should work for him, providing he doesn't do too much in the first half of the race.

"I think softer ground suits him best. He is up to 154 in the ratings now, which is a bit scary, but I think this year's Paddy Power Gold Cup looks likely to attract some good horses at the top of the handicap."

Other leading fancies among the entries are the Jamie Snowden-trained Present View, Jonjo O'Neill's Johns Spirit and Oscar Rock (Malcolm Jefferson).

Irish Cavalier won the CHAPS Restaurants Barbados Novices' Handicap Chase at The Festival last season and could return to the track for the Paddy Power Gold Cup while Darna and Next Sensation are other Festival winners to hold an entry.

Last year's Paddy Power Gold Cup went the way of the Caid Du Berlais, who gave trainer Paul Nicholls his second winner of the race following Al Ferof in 2012.

The champion Jump trainer has made seven entries this time around including Sound Investment, who landed the Grade Two Monet's Garden Old Roan Chase at Aintree on Saturday. Nicholls' other entries are likely top-weight Mr Mole, dual Grade Two scorer Ptit Zig, Art Mauresque, Vibralto Valtat, Easter Day and Salubrious.

Ireland has won the Paddy Power Gold Cup five times, most recently with Tranquil Sea in 2009. There are eight Irish-trained entries in 2015. Four of these hail from the all-conquering Willie Mullins yard including the Grade One winner Gitane Du Berlais, the 2014 RSA Chase fourth Ballycasey and recent impressive Limerick handicap scorer Devils Bride.

Other Irish-trained entries include Shanpallas (Charlies Byrnes), a close sixth in 2014, and the Gordon Elliott-trained Clarcam.

 No current trainer can boast a better Paddy Power Gold Cup record than locally-based Nigel Twiston-Davies, who has won the race three times.

The Naunton handler has five entries this year, headed by 2013 December Gold Cup winner Double Ross, dual Cheltenham scorer Splash Of Ginge and Little Jon, who was sixth behind Irish Cavalier at The Festival.

Simon Claisse, Regional Head of Racing, South West, & Cheltenham's Clerk of the Course, said: "The Paddy Power Gold Cup goes from strength to strength and its popularity is demonstrated by the strong entries we have received this year. I am delighted the race has been so well supported and look forward to this year's renewal on November 14."