Exeter preview: God’s Own can strike Gold again

David Metcalf | November 3, 2015

The big race of the day at Exeter is the Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup (14.20), and God’s Own looks decent value to land back-to-back success in the 2m 1f contest.

Trained by Tom George, God’s Own made a winning reappearance in the race 12 months ago when storming clear to beat Balder Succes by five lengths.

God’s Own went on to run some cracking races at the highest level, including when a six length runner-up to the brilliant Un De Sceaux in a Grade 1 Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The seven-year-old finished two places and seven lengths in front of Vibrato Valtat and now meets that rival on just 2lb worse terms.

God’s Own went to to finish a fine length runner-up to Sizing Granite in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree, before coming to grief at the second on his final start of the campaign in another Grade 1 affair at Sandown.

The form of his runs at Cheltenham and Aintree reads extremely well in the context of this contest, and another plus is that God’s Own has a good record fresh.

God’s Own also receives a handy 7lb from top weight Sire De Grugy, and everything points to a huge run.

An Tarbh Og under radar

In the 2m 7f handicap hurdle (15.50), An Tarbh Og could well have got in lightly and is a fascinating contender now stepped up in trip.