• Hennessy Gold Cup

Triolo D'Alene wins Hennessy Gold Cup

ESPN staff
November 30, 2013
Nicky Henderson and Barry Geraghty made it back-to-back Hennessy Gold Cup wins with Triolo D'Alene © PA Photos
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Triolo D'Alene saw off the challenge from Rocky Creek to make it successive Hennessy Gold Cup wins for trainer Nicky Henderson and jockey Barry Geraghty at Newbury on Saturday.

Henderson and Geraghty were presented with the trophy 12 months ago after future Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth powered home. The outcome proved to be the same in 2013.

Approaching the last fence, Triolo D'Alene and Rocky Creek - trained by Henderson's great rival Paul Nicholls - were neck and neck, before Geraghty found extra on his mount to finish strongly.

Theatre Guide stayed on to claim third for Colin and Joe Tizzard, while Highland Lodge could only finish fourth despite going off as pre-race second favourite.

Victory completed a stellar Saturday for Henderson, who earlier won the Grade One Fighting Fifth at Newcastle with Champion Hurdle contender My Tent or Yours.

"I spent most of the summer trying to persuade the owners to let him go for the National, but to tell you the truth, Barry Geraghty has spent the last couple of months trying to persuade not to do what we have just done here and risk ruining his mark for Aintree by running in the Hennessy. We've pretty much blown that now, but I'll settle for this," Henderson told Channel 4.

"Four or five weeks ago things were looking pretty desperate but suddenly you have a couple of winners and the world seems like a happier place again. Racing will do that to you."

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