Coneygree's connections not tempted by £1million bonus

Coneygree's connections still plan to aim the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner at the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury as his first big target of the season - despite the lure of a £1million bonus.

Jockey Club Racecourses has dangled the seven-figure carrot for any horse who can win the Betfair Chase, the King George VI Chase at Kempton and the Gold Cup.

The Mark Bradstock-trained eight-year-old would be one of the likelier candidates after he became the first novice for 41 years to capture chasing's blue riband at Cheltenham in March on only his fourth start over fences.

However, the Hennessy on November 28, which the Bradstock team won with his half-brother Carruthers in 2011, remains the objective unless the ground is too fast.

Coneygree will be given an entry for the Betfair Chase, which comes a week earlier, as a standby.

"It's all rather annoying, really, because I don't particularly think the Haydock race will suit our fellow as the fences are small and the track's a bit tight," said the trainer's wife and assistant, Sara Bradstock.

"The old-fashioned Haydock fences would have suited him perfectly. At the same time, he will get an entry.

"He's going to first run in one of the intermediate chases either at Carlisle (on November 1) or Sandown (November 8).

"I always thought intermediate chases were for horses that hadn't won three, but they are now for second-season novices, so he qualifies and it means we can get a nice prep run into him.

"We'd rather go to Sandown but it may be the ground is more suitable at Carlisle.

"That's our first run and then the idea would be the Hennessy, but we wouldn't run him anywhere on fast ground.

"If Newbury came up the fast side of good and Haydock was perfect, the £1million bonus might sway us but we won't go there because of it."

Coneygree, who won the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day on the way to Cheltenham glory, is 33-1 with Sky Bet and Paddy Power to hit the jackpot, while Paul Nicholls' Silviniaco Conti, who won the first two legs last season, is 80-1.

Vautour is ante-post favourite for the King George and the Gold Cup and has been priced up at a general 12-1 and 14-1 with Sky Bet.

Paddy Power said: "This is a tremendous initiative, but it will be incredibly hard to win, which is indicated by the fact we're offering 33-1 about a horse with the talents of Coneygree."

The three races are being branded as the 'Chase Triple Crown' and are a tribute to the late Kauto Star.

The Nicholls-trained Kauto Star claimed the three Grade One chases in the same season in 2006-7, landing a £1m bonus which was offered by Betfair at the time.

Paul Fisher, group managing director of Jockey Club Racecourses, said: "We want to encourage horses to attempt to win all three of our 'Chase Triple Crown' races and forge a place in racing folklore reserved for only the very best.

"Kauto Star was a special racehorse and I'm delighted to announce this bonus in his honour."