Annacotty scores in Paddy Power Gold Cup

CHELTENHAM, England – Annacotty was 16th of 24 in a handicap steeplechase last March at Cheltenham Racecourse in western England. That was better than his subsequent start, when he fell in a handicap chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree in Liverpool last April.

All that was behind the 7-year-old Annacotty when he won the most prestigious race of his career in Saturday’s $243,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham. Ridden by Ian Popham, Annacotty closed from the middle of a field of 20 to take the lead after the last fence in the race at 2 9/16 miles. Annacotty was timed in 5:12.80 and was 18.9-1 through the British parimutuel system.

In a grueling finish on the uphill course, Annacotty finished a half-length in front of 10-1 Buywise, who was three-quarters of a length in front of 20-1 Sound Investment. Kings Palace, the 13-2 favorite, led with five furlongs and three fences to go but faded in the final quarter-mile to finish 11th. There were 15 finishers, with five horses pulled up.

Annacotty, an Irish-bred gelding by Beneficial, has won 6 of 18 starts in his career, which began in Irish point-to-point, or amateur, races in 2012. He began running hurdle races in early 2013 and was switched to the tougher steeplechases in the fall of 2013.

The Paddy Power Gold Cup was a Grade 3 handicap and was Annacotty’s third win in a graded stakes. He won a Grade 1 for novice chasers at Kempton Park, near London, in December 2013 and a Grade 3 handicap chase here last January.

Annacotty, trained by Alan King for Mrs. Peter Powting, carried 154 pounds, 12 fewer than topweight Sound Investment.

• A minute’s silence was observed before racing in remembrance of the people who died in Paris on Friday evening.