the race that used to be the hennessey.

​We should always be grateful and appreciative when a sponsor comes in to take over one of the sport’s most historical races. Sponsors are hard to find these days, especially those who swim against the tide and do all they can to retain the prestige of former years. 
To go off topic for a moment. Oh, the topic being this Saturday’s Ladbroke Trophy at Newbury. I am curious to know how Newbury described their main National Hunt race of the season between the final Hennessey Gold Cup and when Ladbrokes signed the contract to sponsor a race titled the Ladbroke Trophy in its place? In effect, you see, as with so many of our chases and hurdles, and increasingly our flat races, the 3-mile 2-furlong chase at Newbury’s November meeting has no actual name. It only exists as an advertising tool of whichever company sponsors it. Luckily the race has thus far only had two sponsors or acquirees. In time the number will grow as sponsors do not stick around these days with the longevity of Hennessey, Whitbread, Badger Beers and John Smiths. Spot the connection?
Sadly, as with the Whitbread that was, the prestige of the Ladbroke Trophy is slipping to that of just another valuable handicap, due in no small part to the invention of the Betfair Chase at Haydock robbing Newbury of the sort of top-class chasers that frequented the race from its early days till 2009 when Denman put up one of great weight-carrying performances of recent history.
Let me stroll through the great horses to have won the Hennessey down the years and you will look at the 2021 renewal and realise the fall in prestige is not just my opinion but a statement based on fact.
1957 & 1961 the immortal Manderin won, carrying 11st and 11st 5Ibs
1959 the great mare Kerstin won carrying 11st 10Ibs
1963 another immortal, one of great chasers of any era, Mill House won carrying 12st.
Then came the greatest racehorse of all time Arkle in 1964 & 1965, carrying the welter burden of 12st 7Ib both times.
1966 saw Arkle fail by a small margin to give the best part of 3-stone to Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Stalbridge Colonist.
1969 saw Spanish Steps carry 11st 8Ibs to victory for his owner/permit trainer Edward Courage.
We had to wait until 1981 for the next Gold Cup standard horse to claim a Hennessey, Diamond Edge carrying 11st 10Ibs.
Bregawn won in 1982 carrying 11st 10Ibs. Brown Chamberlain the following year with 11st 5Ibs on his back.
1984 saw one of the great performances by a horse who with better luck with injury might have achieved legendary status, Borrough Hill Lad, carrying 12st to victory.
1994 saw one of the great enigmas of the sport One Man carry 10st to victory, the only horse to go on from Newbury, with a couple of King Georges’ in between, to win a Champion 2-mile chase.
In 1997 Suny Bay (11st 8Ibs) ran away with the race and the following season another horse dogged by injury Teeton Mill won off the lightweight of 10st 5Ibs.
Then there was Denman, of course, in 2007 and 2009.
In the years I have failed to mention the race was never anything but competitive, not something it was last year and in many years since Denman proved that, yes, great horses can give weight away to younger rivals seemingly thrown-in at the weights.
In yesteryear, the winner of the Hennessey immediately became a Gold Cup hopeful. Not that this is necessarily the case nowadays. Sadly, and perhaps this is the same with all handicaps of the modern era, it is too easy for trainers to by-pass the Ladbroke for easier options. I don’t know how massive the prize-money would have to be to tempt trainers to allow their best chasers to run in the race. First prize would certainly have to swamp the level of money to be won at Haydock in the Betfair. This year the race is worth £250,000 and yet it has still not attracted any horse that might be considered of Gold Cup standard. It is possible Eklat de Rire might be up to that class but common-sense tells you that Henry de Bromhead has so many Gold Cup horses it goes beyond reason that he might have another. It tells you all you need to know about the level of class of this year’s race that Chris’ s Dream, as admirable as he is and how well he was going in last season’s Grand National before tipping up late on, is top-weight. I also think it is quite damning that it is not beyond probability that last year’s runaway winner Cloth Cap could carry 18Ib more and still triumph.
For what its worth, and I did tip on this site Midnight Shadow at 9/1 in the Paddy Power at Cheltenham, so I am in form, I like Fiddlerontheroof and Remastered. I would be strong on the latter if Tom Scudamore was riding but I believe he is staying loyal to Cloth Cap. Personally I think he should stay loyal to David Pipe.
Hopefully Newbury will get a good dose of the showers forecast for the area on Friday and Saturday, which will at least stop trainers moaning about the lack of rain.