Irish raider Foxchapel King was slashed to 7-1 from 33-1 by Ladbrokes for Newbury`s Hennessey Gold Cup in a fortnight`s time after turning the #50,000 Intervet Trophy Handicap Chase at Cheltenham today into a one-horse show.
Mouse Morris` charge made eye-catching headway approaching the fourth last fence in the hands of Shay Barry before smoothly jumping to the head of affairs two out and beating Earthmover by eight lengths.
Morris was bullish about the horse`s chances in the Newbury showpiece, saying: 'The Hennessy has to be on the cards after that and he will be back over for that race now.
'He`s done everything right today as he`s jumped so well and Shay has given him a great ride. He`s a very good horse and he could be quite well-handicapped on his second to Commanche Court in the Irish National last April.
'I`ve trained the second and third in the Hennessy in the past with the likes of Cahervillahow so maybe this will be my year, that will be the plan in any case,' added the Irish trainer.
Earthmover stayed on stoutly in the closing stages after getting outpaced at the top of the hill turning for home and Paul Nicholls stated that the nine-year-old would now be aimed at the Welsh National at Chepstow next month.
Third-placed Beau, the winner of last season`s Whitbread Gold Cup, will cross swords again with Foxchapel King in the Hennessy Gold Cup after pleasing trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies on his debut for the term under top-weight. He remains a 10-1 shot with Ladbrokes for the Newbury race.
'I`m very satisfied with that,' stated Twiston-Davies. 'It was a very good run under that sort of weight and he will now go straight to Newbury in a couple of weeks time.'
Nicky Henderson`s Capitaine Leau, partnered by Richard Johnson in place of the injured Mick Fitzgerald, made a highly-impressive debut over fences when easily accounting for Good Time Melody in the Highfield Social Club Novices` Chase.
'You won`t see many novice chasers jump round here better than that,' was how Henderson summed up the impressive win.
'He`s going to get three miles and something like the Feltham Chase at Kempton over Christmas could suit him nicely.' -PA
