Cotswold Chase: Many Clouds can lower colours of deadly Djakadam at Festival Trials

David Metcalf | January 29, 2016

Ante post Gold Cup favourite Djakadam is odds-on to land the Festival Trials Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham (13.50), but Many Clouds looks decent value to lower his colours.

Trained by Oliver Sherwood, Many Clouds put in a cracking performance when landing the 2014 running of the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury by 3 1/4 lengths off 11st 6lb.

The nine-year-old finished 28 lengths in front of Djakadam, who came eighth, and now meets that rival on 9lb better terms.

Sherwood seeks back-to-back Cotswold Chase crowns

Many Clouds went on to land this race 12 months ago when staying on strongly to beat Smad Place by 1 3/4 lengths, and after a below par effort when sixth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup rounded off the campaign with a tremendous weight carrying performance when capturing the Crabbies’ Grand National at Aintree off 11st 9lb.

Although not at his best when a well-beaten sixth to Cue Card on seasonal reappearance in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, Many Clouds showed that run to be all wrong when runner-up to Don Poli at Aintree last month.

The son of Cloudings kept on well to be beaten four lengths, and it was a fine effort in attempting to give the subsequent Lexus Chase winner and leading Gold Cup hope 5lb.