Collonges reminds us just how good he is
Neptune Collonges has always been a very good horse. A triple Grade 1 winner who also finished third to Denman and Kauto Star in the 2008 Gold Cup before filling fourth place behind the latter in the 2009 renewal, had it not been for injury Paul Nicholls’ grey could have achieved even more top level successes, writes Elliot Slater.
At Cheltenham on Saturday the 10-year-old showed that he still has stacks of ability when impressively landing the Grade 2 Argento Chase, leading all the way, jumping like a stag, and then staying-on gamely up the hill to hold off the enigmatic Tidal Bay, who finished with his customary flourish to close him down in second. The Cheltenham Gold Cup betting now suggests that he could at last fulfil his true potential.
Having been off for 18 months with leg trouble since his 2009 Gold Cup effort, many people had doubted that the John Hales-owned gelding was the force of old. In two previous outings so far this term little had gone right for Neptune Collonges who got only as far as the fourth fence in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on his return to the fray having been hampered and duly falling before he had chance to show what he could do. At Cheltenham in December he was slowly away and was never able to get into his favourite front-running position, eventually trailing in a very disappointing 11th behind the impressive Midnight Chase.
Having broken the heart of the favourite Punchestowns with sheer exuberant jumping and a relentless gallop, Tony McCoy’s mount kept on well when Tidal Bay, (previously a runner-up to Gold Cup winner Imperial commander at Haydock in November) came at him on the run-in. Bookmakers now make Neptune Collonges a best priced 33/1 shot for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, whilehe also has advanced to the same price for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree in April.
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