Devon trainer Nick Williams is hoping that Maljimar (16/1 with sponsor Paddy Power) makes it into the handicap proper alongside stablemate Kings Brook (20/1) in the £120,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday, November 17.
Maljimar has been allotted 9st 2lb and Kings Brook 10st 6lb in the extended two and a half mile handicap chase, which is the centrepiece of The Open which runs from Friday, November 16, to Sunday, November 18.
Maljimar was runner-up to fellow Paddy Power Gold Cup possible Knowhere (11st 1lb) in the Pyments Quantity Surveyors Handicap Chase over the course and distance on October 20, while Kings Brook has landed two of his last four starts, most recently the totesport.com Handicap Chase at Stratford on October 27.
Williams revealed today: "Maljimar would be a more obvious one fo r the race because, unlike Kings Brook, he hasn’t been on the go for seven months. He is a possible, providing enough horses come out at the top for him to get into the handicap.
"He is fine after his recent Cheltenham run. There is no real reason why Knowhere would not beat him again but there would not be much between them if we were to get into the handicap.
"Good to soft or soft ground would be perfect for Maljimar but it would have to be very fast going if Kings Brook were to run, so he is a possible if the ground were right.
"Kings Brook has won two out of his last four, which is not bad, but I don’t know whether the Paddy Power Gold Cup would be a step too far as he has not faced that quality of opposition.
"It is a tall order for him, whatever the going. I have done the entry to keep my options open, and if you don’t enter you can’t run!"
The Paul Nicholls-trained Taranis, winner of the Grade One James Nicholson Wine Merchants Chase at Down Royal on Saturday, November 3, has been allotted top-weight of 11st 12lb, the same weight he carried when falling two fences from home in the 2006 Paddy Power Gold Cup.
The Henry Daly-trained Billyvoddan, third in the Grade Two Ryanair Chase at The Festival, is next in the weights with 11st 9lb, while the Francois Doumen-trained L’Ami has 11st 8lb.
The Paul Nicholls-trained Granit Jack, last seen when runner-up in the Grade One Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at The Festival and a winning chaser in France, is the current 4/1 market leader with sponsors Paddy Power and has been allotted 9st 11lb.
The well-fancied Jonjo O’Neill-trained Don’t Push It, a smart novice chaser last term and winner of the sportingindex.com/racing Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow on October 27, has 10st 13lb, while stablemate Bob Hall has been given 10st 7lb.
L’Antartique, trained by Ferdy Murphy, won the Listed Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase at The Festival and has 10st 7lb, while the same trainer’s Another Promi se, fifth in The Irish Independent Arkle Trophy at The Festival and a Grade One winner at Punchestown, has been allotted 11st, New Alco has 10st 4lb and Three Mirrors has 9st 11lb.
Pablo Du Charmil’s (10st 6lb) odds for the Paddy Power Gold Cup have shortened to 12/1 from 20/1 with the sponsor after his success in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter on Tuesday.
Donald McCain is considering his options with regards to 33/1 shot Regal Heights, who has been allotted 10st 6lb in the Paddy Power Gold Cup but could contest the £50,000 paddypower.com Handicap Chase over two miles on Sunday, November 18.
The six-year-old was a good novice last term, winning three times on soft and heavy going before winding up his campaign when fourth to One Cool Cookie in the Grade One Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse in April.
McCain revealed today: "Nothing is set in stone at present. Regal Heights is a possible for the Paddy Power Gold Cup but he is also in the two-mile handicap the day after. It would be ground dependent and so on.
"I won’t make a final decision until I have seen the entries for the paddypower.com Handicap Chase, so I am quite open and obviously if it was very soft ground we would probably go for the two-mile option.
"He has done really well through the summer, probably a bit too well as it has taken a while to get him ready and he will come on for his first run, but it’s a long winter and we are looking forward to it.
"I think perhaps I should have been braver and gone to The Festival with him last season. I thought we should have beaten L’Antartique at Bangor but he was a bit short, and then L’Antartique went and won at Cheltenham. We waited for Ireland and I think the Irish race was suitable but the ground turned much too quick for him.
"He is a useful horse and, if he keeps progressing, I think he could be very decent indeed."
Latest Paddy Power odds:
Granit Jack 4/1, Don´t Push It 5/1 , L´Antartique 7/1, Abragante 9/1 , Bob Hall 10/1 , Knowhere 10/1 , Copsale Lad 10/1 , Another Promise 12/1 , Private Be 12/1 , Pablo Du Charmil 12/1 , Crozan 14/1 , New Little Bric 14/1 , Vodka Bleu 14/1 , Fair Along 16/1 , Turko 16/1 , Faasel 16/1 , Idole First 16/1 , Limited Edition 16/1 , Madison Du Berlais 16/1 , Maljimar 16/1 , Royal County Star 16/1 , Too Forward 16/1 , Ungaro 16/1, Watson Lake 16/1 , Whispered Secret 16/1 , Billyvoddan 20/1 , French Accordion 20/1 , Kings Brook 20/1 , Knight Legend 20/1 , New Alco 20/1 , Newman Des Plages 20/1 , Palarshan 20/1 , Patman Du Charmil 20/1 , Ardaghey 25/1 , Bambi De L´Orme 25/1 , Bishop´s Bridge 25/1 , Father Matt 25/1 , Fier Normand 25/1 , Forget The Past 25/1 , Hasty Prince 25/1 , L´Ami 25/1 , Le Volfoni 25/1 , Lord Ryeford 25/1 , Ponmeoath 25/1 , Roman Ark 25/1 , Black Hills 33/1 , Donovan 33/1 , Heltornic 33/1 , Il Duce 33/1 , Magic Sky 33/1 , Mister McGoldrick 33/1 , Mr Boo 33/1 , Regal Heights 33/1 , Three Mirrors 33/1 , Yaboya 33/1 , Bible Lord 40/1 , Arteea 50/1 , Ballyagran 50/1 , Big Rob 50/1 , The Reverend 50/1 , The Roney Man 66/1,
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. Surprised The Risky Viking isn't entered. 
