A match made in heaven

Tony McCoy has picked up the ride on Denman in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and it could be a match made in heaven.

McCoy has 14 jockeys’ titles under his belt so cannot be classed as a one-trick pony, but he is at his best when riding from the front and he will have the perfect foil in Denman – a horse that is aggressive by nature and relishes a fight.

The Tank overcame a heart problem that plagued him last term to produce a stunning display in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup. Ruby Walsh partnered the giant chestnut to victory at Newbury and he was thrilled with the performance – suggesting Denman was better than ever.

The problem that faced Walsh was that in the stable next to Denman is Kauto Star, the horse he has won four King George VI chases and two Gold Cups on. Walsh was never likely to desert Kauto, but he is sure to have some uneasy nights in the lead up to Cheltenham.

In 2008, Walsh and Kauto Star got a rear view of Denman as he pulverised the field to win the Gold Cup. Kauto Star was not at his best that day, but there is little between the pair and the thought of the two locking horns is a fascinating one: McCoy firing Denman into his fences, looking to grind his rivals into submission, Kauto Star and Walsh stalking.

McCoy and Walsh are the best of friends but that will go out of the window come March 19 and I’ve a sneaking suspicion that McCoy may have picked up the greatest spare ride in racing.