More heads Cheltenham entries

The £160,000 BetVictor Gold Cup, the highlight of The Open at Cheltenham, has attracted 43 entries for its 2016 renewal on Saturday, November 12.

The extended two and a half mile Grade Three handicap chase is sponsored by BetVictor for the first time this year and they have installed More Of That (Jonjo O’Neill) at the head of their betting.

Owned by J P McManus, the eight-year-old landed the World Hurdle at The Festival in 2014 and won two of his three starts over fences last season. He last raced when third in the RSA Chase at The Festival in March.

O’Neill has also entered Taquin Du Seuil, who enjoyed his finest hour when capturing the G1 JLT Novices’ Chase at The Festival in 2014.

Garde La Victoire has won at The Open for the past two season, having taken the Greatwood Hurdle in 2014 and the Arkle Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase last year.

The progressive seven-year-old recently confirmed his well-being when successful under top-weight in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las. His trainer Philip Hobbs, who won the race in 1989 with Joint Sovereignty, could also be represented by Village Vic, successful in last season’s Caspian Caviar Gold Cup and a handicap chase on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham.

David Pipe won this race with Great Endeavour in 2011, while his father Martin won the race a record eight times. The two entries from Pond House on the Somerset/Devon border this year are Ballynagour, winner of the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate in 2014, and the four-year-old King’s Socks, who has yet to start in Britain but is a chase winner in France, where he was also placed over hurdles at the top level.

The champion trainer Paul Nicholls landed this prize with Caid Du Berlais in 2014 and has the most entries of any trainer this time around with eight possible starters. In addition to Caid Du Berlais, they also include the …

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