Gary Moore and Neil Mulholland eye glory in BetVictor Gold Cup

Gary Moore and Neil Mulholland will both be double-handed in the BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Gary Moore will saddle Baron Alco and Benatar in the £160,000 feature, while Moore will be represented by Kalondra and Shantou Village. The quartet are among 28 six-day confirmations for prestigious two and a half-mile handicap chase. A maximum of 20 runners can line up.

Baron Alco finished second in the 2017 Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate, while Benatar took third behind Shattered Love in the 2018 G1 JLT Novices' Chase.

Baron Alco has been restricted to just one start since, when going down by a head to Charbel in a competitive handicap chase at Chepstow last month4, while Benatar finished fourth on his reappearance in a graduation chase at Newton Abbott.

Moore, who is based in West Sussex, said: "Benatar and Baron Alco are both in good form at home. They won't mind any cut in the ground.

"Benatar came out of his first run of the season well. He pulled hard that day and was too fresh. He is a talented horse and I have been happy with him since.

"Baron Alco ran really well at Chepstow and we have been pleased with his work too."

Mulholland hopes new riding tactics will help Kalondra and Shantou Village .

The pair have performed with credit at Prestbury Park this year – only to be found out in the closing stages.

Mulholland will try to ensure they can conserve enough energy this time for the business end of the race.

Kalondra ran a fine race to finish third of 16 in the Silver Trophy Handicap Chase in April and is reported to be over his fall at Galway in August when he had every chance before departing at the second-last fence in the race won by Sub Lieutenant.

“Thankfully he’s come out of it very well, and Noel Fehily schooled him last Friday and was very happy how he jumped,” the Wiltshire trainer told At The Races.

“Noel (Fehily) rides him on Saturday. We’re looking forward to it.

“In his race there in April, he probably did too much at the top of the hill. He’s got good course form around there. He won a novice handicap and runs very well there.”

Shantou Village steps back in trip after weakening from the penultimate obstacle when sixth to Relentless Dreamer at Cheltenham last month.

“I think we probably rode him too handy the last day,” said Mulholland.

“It was just the plan really to do that, but on the softer ground he just travelled very well at the top of the hill and didn’t come down it to go back up it again – so we will probably hold on to him a little bit on Saturday.

“We’ll ride him in mid-division, keep the bit in his mouth and (see) if he can just travel for a last burst up the hill. He’s got hurdle form there.”

BetVictor Gold Cup: The sponsor bets: 5/1 Rather Be; 6/1 Mister Whitaker; 8/1 Kalondra; 10/1 Baron Alco; 12/1 Romain De Senam, King's Socks; 14/1 Aso, Happy Diva; 16/1 Ballyandy, Benatar, Frodon, Full Glass, Le Prezien, Sizing Granite, West Approach; 20/1 Javert, Movewiththetimes, Shantou Village, Splash Of Ginge, Top Gamble; 25/1 others.