Ante-post Hennessy preview

Fancy an early punt on the Hennessy? Look no further - it's Nic Doggett's ante-post guide to the big Newbury feature on November 27.

New Murphy inmate looks good

Although there is no Kauto Star, meaning the weights have gone up by 8lbs, the presence of the 182-rated Denman at the head of the list means that half of the field are likely to be out of the handicap proper.

Big Fella Thanks is one of those, racing from 5lbs wrong, but I can see him running a huge race on November 27.

It's fascinating that Harry Findlay wanted to keep hold of this eight-year-old during the dispersal of his horses from Ditcheat, and although sending him to Ferdy Murphy raised a few eyebrows, it might have been a shrewd move.

Were he still in the care of Paul Nicholls then he would be closer to 8/1 rather than 14/1.

The sizeable gelding made a pleasing reappearance behind Hey Big Spender at Carlisle.

He travelled well for a long way but the tiring Cumbrian hill just found him out late on. He had a good blow after the race, suggesting that he will come on enormously for the outing.

Although hard to judge trends when a horse changes yards, he came on markedly for his first run last season and he looks sure to do the same this time around.

I like the fact that he has jumped round Newbury twice before, finishing a tired second to Carruthers (on his reppearance last year) before winning over an inadequate trip in March.

This has been the target ever since he moved north and I personally believe that he has the scope to win off a mark in the high 150s.

That means that despite being 5lbs out of the weights, and effectively racing off a mark of 156, I still see him as a feasibly treated horse in the context of this race.

Ultimately he'll have the Grand National as his target, given he was fourth in it last season, but I feel that Newbury's race is very much an attainable stepping stone along the way. SELECTIONS 2pts Big Fella Thanks to win the Hennessy Gold Cup at 14/1 (General).