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The £100,000 Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup, one of the highlights of The International at Cheltenham, has attracted a strong entry of 41 - nine more than in 2010.
Run over two miles and five furlongs on the New Course, the Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup is sponsored by the Stewart Family to help raise awareness of Adam Wolley, Greg Symondson and twins Hugo and Ross Turner, who are aiming to raise £150,000 for the charity Spinal Research by rowing across the Atlantic Ocean.
Great Endeavour was victorious in the Paddy Power Gold Cup over an extended two and a half miles at The Open on November 12 and the David Pipe-trained seven-year-old could attempt to become the only the fourth horse to complete the double in the two Cheltenham contests in the same season, following on from Pegwell Bay (1988), Senor El Betrutti (1997) and Exotic Dancer (2006).
Quantitativeeasing, Divers and Aerial, who finished second, third and fourth respectively behind Great Endeavour on November 12, also feature among the entries.
Cape Tribulation side-stepped the Paddy Power Gold Cup due to unsuitable ground and instead headed to Haydock Park on November 19 for the Grade Three “Fixed Brush” Handicap Hurdle, and ran well to finish fifth behind Dynaste. The seven-year-old, a Grade Two winner over hurdles in 2009, was placed in Grade Two company over fences last season.
Jefferson revealed: “Cape Tribulation will head to Cheltenham providing the ground is OK for him. He missed the Paddy Power Gold Cup because the going was too quick but it has to rain at some point.
“I thought he ran very well at Haydock on Saturday considering he had plenty of weight and it was his first outing of the season. He had a nice little blow afterwards and the race will have sharpened him up nicely.
“He had a lovely weight in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and he would be on a lovely mark again if Poquelin headed the weights again next month.
“I think that a fast-run race over two miles and five furlongs will suit him perfectly and I am just hoping for some proper jumping ground next month.”
Sponsors The Stewart Family have four chances of success, headed by the Paul Nicholls-trained Poquelin who has won the previous two renewals of the race and boasts a total of five successes at Cheltenham. The Stewart family's other hopes are Tatenen, successful in the Grade Two Independent Newspaper Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in 2008, the 2010 winner of the same race Ghizao, who is jointly-owned by the Johnson Family, and Nomecheki.
There are six Irish entries this year, including the 2011 Irish Grand National winner Organisedconfusion, trained by Arthur Moore. Willie Mullins has three entries including Quel Esprit, a high-class novice last season, and Quiscover Fontaine, who was last seen out when taking fourth in the Irish Grand National. The last Irish-trained winner of the Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup was Sir Oj in 2005.
Paul Nicholls is responsible for five entries in total. In addition to the aforementioned Aerial, Ghizao and Poquelin, the champion trainer could also be represented by Royal Charm, a progressive novice last season, and Woolcombe Folly, who was successful in a handicap chase at The International last season and finished runner-up in the Schloer Chase at The Open on November 13.
As well as Great Endeavour, David Pipe has also entered I'msingingtheblues, who landed a valuable handicap at Ascot on Saturday as well as Matuhi and Salut Flo.
The Nicky Henderson stable, enjoying such good form at present, won the Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup in 2002 with Fondmort and has a total of five entries for the valuable handicap chase this year. In addition to Quantitaveeasing, other possible challengers from Seven Barrows include Galway Plate third Aigle D'Or, recent impressive Haydock scorer Nadiya De La Vega, Forzy Origny and Surfing.
Other interesting contenders include The Giant Bolster, who won the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase under top-weight on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham in January. He was well-supported for the Paddy Power Gold Cup but unseated his rider at the first fence.
Wishfull Thinking, one of three entries for trainer Philip Hobbs, won a handicap chase over the course and distance on Festival Trials Day before taking second in the Grade Two Jewson Novices' Chase at The Festival. He led for much of the way before fading in the closing stages when sixth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
Medermit, trained by Alan King, won the Grade Two Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter on November 1 and recently took third behind Master Minded in the Grade Two Amlin Chase at Ascot.
The weights for the Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup are revealed on Wednesday, November 30.
The International takes place at Cheltenham on Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10. Saturday, December 10, also features the £130,000 Grade Two StanJames.com International, which often provides valuable clues for the Stan James Champion Hurdle at The Festival in March.