King holds Power-ful hand

Trainer Alan King is likely to enter three horses in the Paddy Power Gold Cup including last year's runner-up Il Duce.

King has yet to saddle the winner of the feature race of Cheltenham's Open meeting next month but has high hopes that recent winner Ouzbeck and Pur De Sivola will join Il Duce in the event.

"Ouzbeck delighted me at the weekend and will have an entry in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, as will Il Duce, who was second last year and I might give Pur De Sivola an entry as well," King said.

"Il Duce ran in the summer, which was a waste of time. It didn't work as they went too quick for him round Market Rasen. The Paddy Power Gold Cup will be his first run back and that's the time to catch him, when he's fresh.

"We'll see how it goes but he's done well at Cheltenham and ran another good race when second at the April Meeting."

King is also expecting to re-introduce Gold Cup fourth Halcon Genelardais in the Grade Three Servo Computer Services Trophy on the same card.

The eight-year-old was last seen out when second under top-weight in the Scottish Grand National and is set to warm up for a third tilt at the Welsh equivalent in December, in which he has been runner-up for the past two years.

"Halcon Genelardais is on course for the Servo Computer Services Trophy - that's the plan. He has done very well through the summer and had his first school of the season this morning. He's in very good form.

"It would be nice to get his head in front again at some stage. It's not easy for him in handicaps because he's got to be giving lumps of weight away but there's nothing we can do about that.

"I would think it will be one run and then straight to Wales for the National again."