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Paul Nicholls Exclusive: AON to become the Betfair Denman

A fantastic tribute to my legendary chaser as the race that Denman so memorably won in 2008 is to be renamed in his honour.

With the likes of Kauto Star, Master Minded and Big Buck's in the stable, I am lucky enough to NOT be able to say that Denman is a once-in-lifetime-horse for me and the team here at Ditcheat.

But of course Denman is a legend - and I dare say he will always be the favourite for many in the yard, and fans in general, because of his attritional and confrontational style of racing - and myself and his owner Paul Barber were very proud to be told by Betfair today that Denman is to have a race named after him at Newbury.

And Newbury is a very fitting course, too. Not only is it one of my favourite tracks, but Denman didn't seem to mind it too much either. He won two novice chases there, two Hennessys and an AON Chase.

And it is the latter race that which is to be re-named in the horse's honour, and will now be registered as the Denman Chase.

All the team here at Ditcheat would very much like to thank Betfair, Newbury and the BHA for organising it. It was an initiative developed by Newbury in association with Betfair in order to reflect the importance of the horse to Newbury and horse racing in general, and we thank them for that.

I gather it will be called the Betfair Denman Chase in 2012, but I am not so sure if the new sponsors will be too happy when everyone starts referring to it as the "Denman" and doesn't mention Betfair at all!

The plan is for Denman to parade before the race on February 11, and hopefully the racegoers and punters that have followed and supported him throughout his career will turn out to see him on the day. I only hope that they, and the horse, don't remember the last time he ran in the race - I seem to recall that he unseated Tony McCoy last year at odds of 1-6.

As for the horse, he is 100 per cent sound and a similar injury would simply have seen a younger horse out for the season, instead of retired. But Denman is currently enduring a month of box rest, although we lead him out for a pick of grass each day.

After his box rest is over, we will put him on the walker for two hours each day.

Luckily for those who look after him, he calms down a lot when he is not in full work, as he is at his most aggressive when fit. So hopefully he will behave himself on the day.

It was a great shame that he picked up his injury when he did, but he has retired with his head held high and, while 2008 at Cheltenham was his premier day in my opinion, we will always be proud of his Newbury exploits and I know his Hennessy wins are many people's favourites performances of his.

Which is why the Betfair Denman Chase on February 11 is such a fitting tribute to the great horse.

Perhaps it is a race that we can support by running the likes of Paul's impressive recent winner Join Together, or maybe Aiteen Thirtythree, who Paul owns in partnership with Andy Stewart.


Paul Nicholls / 20 Dec 2011

Paul Nicholls Exclusive: AON to become the Betfair Denman

The Team RSS / / 20 December 2011 / 1

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Denman comes home to win the AON in 2008

Denman comes home to win the AON in 2008

"The plan is for Denman to parade before the race on February 11, and hopefully the racegoers and punters that have followed and supported him throughout his career will turn out to see him on the day."

A fantastic tribute to my legendary chaser as the race that Denman so memorably won in 2008 is to be renamed in his honour.

With the likes of Kauto Star, Master Minded and Big Buck's in the stable, I am lucky enough to NOT be able to say that Denman is a once-in-lifetime-horse for me and the team here at Ditcheat.

But of course Denman is a legend - and I dare say he will always be the favourite for many in the yard, and fans in general, because of his attritional and confrontational style of racing - and myself and his owner Paul Barber were very proud to be told by Betfair today that Denman is to have a race named after him at Newbury.

And Newbury is a very fitting course, too. Not only is it one of my favourite tracks, but Denman didn't seem to mind it too much either. He won two novice chases there, two Hennessys and an AON Chase.

And it is the latter race that which is to be re-named in the horse's honour, and will now be registered as the Denman Chase.

All the team here at Ditcheat would very much like to thank Betfair, Newbury and the BHA for organising it. It was an initiative developed by Newbury in association with Betfair in order to reflect the importance of the horse to Newbury and horse racing in general, and we thank them for that.

I gather it will be called the Betfair Denman Chase in 2012, but I am not so sure if the new sponsors will be too happy when everyone starts referring to it as the "Denman" and doesn't mention Betfair at all!

The plan is for Denman to parade before the race on February 11, and hopefully the racegoers and punters that have followed and supported him throughout his career will turn out to see him on the day. I only hope that they, and the horse, don't remember the last time he ran in the race - I seem to recall that he unseated Tony McCoy last year at odds of 1-6.

As for the horse, he is 100 per cent sound and a similar injury would simply have seen a younger horse out for the season, instead of retired. But Denman is currently enduring a month of box rest, although we lead him out for a pick of grass each day.

After his box rest is over, we will put him on the walker for two hours each day.

Luckily for those who look after him, he calms down a lot when he is not in full work, as he is at his most aggressive when fit. So hopefully he will behave himself on the day.

It was a great shame that he picked up his injury when he did, but he has retired with his head held high and, while 2008 at Cheltenham was his premier day in my opinion, we will always be proud of his Newbury exploits and I know his Hennessy wins are many people's favourites performances of his.

Which is why the Betfair Denman Chase on February 11 is such a fitting tribute to the great horse.

Perhaps it is a race that we can support by running the likes of Paul's impressive recent winner Join Together, or maybe Aiteen Thirtythree, who Paul owns in partnership with Andy Stewart.


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  1. jimbo | 10 January 2012

    thanks for the titanic battles enjoy your rest well miss your heart beat over the fences