Capodanno and Mark Walsh in winning action at Punchestown© Photo Healy Racing
Capodanno will deputise for Corbetts Cross and carry the green and gold silks of JP McManus in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday – in the process becoming a first runner in the race for Willie Mullins.
Winner of the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, the Emmet Mullins-trained Corbetts Cross met with an unsatisfactory scope at the weekend.
Instead it will be Capodanno who travels from Ireland to Merseyside for the Grade One showpiece, having been added as a supplementary entry to the field on Monday. Fourth in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, he won the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January, although he finished down the field in the Grand National.
“Willie is happy with him and our other horse has had a bad scope and is not running, so we decided we’d let him take his chance,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus.
“Corbetts Cross had a bad scope on Saturday morning and he isn’t fit to travel, it just all came too quick.
“Everybody was very happy with Capodanno and the John Durkan looks like it’s going to be a very hot race on Sunday so he’ll take his chance at Haydock on Saturday instead.”
French trainer Gabriel Leenders has an eye on more British riches, with Gold Tweet taking his chance.
The Les Landes-based handler got a taste of Cheltenham success when the gelding won the Cleeve Hurdle in 2023 and experienced the same thrill again last weekend when Sweet David landed the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase.
Gold Tweet has switched between hurdles and fences in his native France and is now lining up a bid over the larger obstacles having run twice already over lesser trips in preparation.
“Everything is very good with him, he’s been prepared for this race and it is his target,” said Leenders.
“We’re really happy with him and looking forward to bringing him over, he’s been in good form at home.
“All the lights are green now for the race.”
Also confirmed is Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning, who showed a liking for some cut underfoot at the Cheltenham Festival when staying on to beat Ginny’s Destiny in the Turners Novices’ Chase, having earlier opened his account over fences at this meeting 12 months ago.
He has not been seen since finishing third at the Grand National fixture in April, but Skelton is happy with his condition.
He said: “Grey Dawning has been for a racecourse gallop and he did very well. Obviously, the last two seasons he got beaten on his seasonal debut – over hurdles and in a novice chase. His record shows there is a bit of a patch first time out, but the reason for that is that we had been very easy on him in the early part of the season for those races. When they are novices, they are always going to improve.
“This is a totally different kettle of fish. He needs to be ready against more seasoned horses and dare I say it, better horses, first time up. That is why we have put an awful lot of effort into getting him as ready as we can. I fully believe he is as ready as he can be.
“He is quite a light-framed horse and you’d call him a little tubular – not a deep-girthed old-fashioned National Hunt chaser at all. But he’s a real athlete and looks fantastic He never carries a lot of weight and when you see him on Saturday you’ll say he does look ready.”
Royale Pagaille took the feature race ahead of Bravemansgame last year and is set to defend his title after falling in January’s Cotswold Chase on his only subsequent start, with the latter also on the list for Paul Nicholls.
Nicholls said on his Betfair Ditcheat Diary: “I’ve confirmed Bravesmansgame for the Betfair Chase.
“We always like to have a runner in that race. It looks like it’s a mixed week weather-wise with a bit of cold and sleet and snow, not a lot of rain. But Saturday could be very wet.
“It’ll be an interesting forecast for the weekend so we’ll keep an eye on that. Let’s hope there’s some proper rain coming at last.”
Hewick’s connections will be less concerned than most if the rain stays away and last year’s Shark Hanlon-trained King George hero will be race-fit after following up October’s Punchestown third with a close second to Envoi Allen in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal.
Patrick Neville’s Charlie Hall hero The Real Whacker, who had Bravemansgame immediately behind him at Wetherby, Minella Drama (Donald McCain) and Limerick Lace (Gavin Cromwell) have all stood their ground, while Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor is another fancied entry with a solid run on the board this term after finishing third in the Old Roan at Aintree.
