O’Neill hopeful for Gold Cup upset

Trainer Jonjo O’Neill believes that either of his two Cheltenham Gold Cup entries, Albertas Run and Exotic Dancer, are capable of snatching the race away from Paul Nicholls’ fancied trio of Denman, Kauto Star and Neptune Collonges.

Exotic Dancer is priced as one of the strongest contenders for the race from outside of Nicholls’ stable, and is remembered for his second place in the 2007 Gold Cup. He has been in good form this season, winning the grade 1 Lexus Chase.

Albertas run, meanwhile, proved himself to be no mean chaser when he arrived home in second place in the King George V Chase on Boxing Day. As a young horse there’s plenty of room for improvement, and he could come good in the Gold Cup.

“It would be great for my bank manager as well as the Cotswolds if one of my horses won,” O’Neill told reporters ahead of Friday’s race. “It’s a magic event, the horses have a chance as they are both good enough to run in the race. I’m nervous already.”

“The Gold Cup is part of the fantastic festival. It’s something everybody wants to do, win the Gold Cup. It’s just a pity that Kauto Star is in the race. It would be absolutely brilliant to win the Gold Cup, but lots of other trainers will be thinking the same thing.”