Reveley hopes to strike Gold

Apr 26 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

KEITH REVELEY is hopeful Ungaro can go close to victory in the bet365 Gold Cup Chase at Sandown on the final day of the National Hunt season.

The nine-year-old won a Grade One contest as a novice, but despite some decent placed efforts has not won for almost 18 months.

He was second to Donald McCain junior’s Cloudy Lane in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster at the start of last month. Ungaro is a best-priced 15-2 with the sponsors and Reveley said: “He’s in good form and everything seems to be in his favour so we’ll have a go. He likes going right-handed and although Sam Thomas will be riding him for the first time that won’t be a problem. We’ll give it a go, it’s a good prize.”

Iris De Balme bids to follow up his shock 66-1 success in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr last week and is William Hill’s 7-1 second favourite behind Ireland’s representative and Irish Grand National runner-up Royal County Star, who is 6-1 with the same firm.

Jockey Denis O’Regan is looking for compensation on the Howard Johnson-trained Bewleys Berry after finishing fifth in the John Smith’s Grand National.

Regan said of the 12-1 (bet365) chance: “He’s well in at the weights and I thought he ran a great race in the National, so hopefully he’ll put up a good show.

“The worry might be being as competitive over these fences as National fences, but he’ll love the ground and he’ll like Sandown so I’m hoping for a good run.”

WEEKEND NAPS: TODAY: Moheebb (7.20pm Haydock). TOMORROW: Bienheureux (3.50pm Brighton).