Cheltenham: King’s Palace favored in Gold Cup steeplechase

CHELTENHAM, England – The 6-year-old gelding King’s Palace has been a reliable runner in hurdle and steeplechase races in England over the last two years – when he finishes.

King’s Palace has won 7 of 11 starts, a record that will make him the favorite in Saturday’s $243,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup at 2 9/16 miles over fences at Cheltenham Racecourse. As of Friday, King’s Palace was the 6-1 favorite in an expected field of 20.

The Paddy Power Gold Cup can put King’s Palace back in the winner’s circle for the first time since February. In his only subsequent start, King’s Palace was sixth in the Grade 1 RSA Chase for novices at Cheltenham last March, during the prestigious four-day National Hunt festival.

King’s Palace had two three-race winning streaks earlier in his career, interrupted by a fall in a hurdle race in March 2014. He won his following start at this meeting in November 2014, a positive sign for his comeback on Saturday after an eight-month layoff.

King’s Palace has fallen twice in his career. He was second in his second career start in 2013.

Owned by a partnership, King’s Palace is trained by David Pipe and will be ridden by Tom Scudamore, who returned from an absence caused by injury Friday.

With a big field, there is no standout. Boondooma, an 8-year-old Irish-bred gelding, is an 8-1 chance to win his third consecutive race. He won a prep race here in October. Boondooma is trained by Richard Newland, who won the 2014 Grand National with Pineau de Re.

Annacotty, Art Mauresque, and Irish Cavalier were 9-1 with bookmakers on Friday. Art Mauresque, from the stable of leading steeplechase trainer Paul Nicholls, has won three of his last four starts, including a chase for novices here last month.

Irish Cavalier won a handicap for novice chasers here last March and a minor chase at Newton Abbot racecourse in southwest England last month. Irish Cavalier is trained by Rebecca Curtis, an assistant to California trainer Dan Hendricks in the 2000s.