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Denman back to his best in Hennessy.

The last time Denman won the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup in 2007, he went on to land the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the same season, and after today's top weight carrying performance to secure victory in the 2009 renewal of the Grade 3 contest, many punters will now fancy Denman to challenge Kauto Star for the Cheltenham blueribbon crown.

Led around for much of today's Newbury contest by Irish Grand National winnner Niche Market, Ruby Walsh had always keppt Denman handy, and at the fifth from home he decided to go on. Thereafter Niche Market, Barbers Shop and stable mate What A Friend all made challenges, but none of them could pass the race favourite as he kept galloping and finding more, eventually scoring from stable mate What A Friend, with Niche Market staying on for third, while Barbers Shop drifted back into fourth place over the final two furlongs.

Go Native spreadeagles his rivals in unsatisfactory Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

The Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle should have been a top contest over two miles, but for the first twelve furlongs of the Newcastle highlight, the field were happy to allow the Andy Turnell trained Blue Bajan to dictate an unsatisfactory slow pace, and as a consequence, the race turned into a four furlong sprint.

The front running Blue Bajan folded as the pace increased, as did race favourite Binocular, and it was left to Davy condon on the 2009 Supreme Novice Hurdle winner Go Native to spreadeagle his field, while foremer champion Hurdler Sublimity had to settle for second place in the race for the second year in a row, but recent form horse Solwit did not benefit from the slow early pace, and was running on for third position.

However, it will now be Go Native who goes forward in pursuit of the one million pound bonus available to the winner of today's race if he can add to his haul with victories in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park, and the Champion Hurdle at cheltenham.

Big Bucks simply awesome in Long Distance Hurdle.

If Paul Nicholls is right, and Big Bucks needed the race in today's Sportingbet Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, then all hhis rivals for the Cheltenham World Hurdle might as well not bother turning up next March. Given a lead throughout by the gallant Loch Derg, Ruby Walsh never had to move a muscle as his mount took him to the front at the second last flight of today's three mile contest, and without being asked to do anything, Big Bucks eased his way to victory, with Loch Derg staying on for second from Duc de Regnier, who will almost certainly now return to a novice chasing campaign.

Daring run secures it for Weapons Amnesty.

At one stage in the back straight on the final circuit of today's 1.15 pm three mile novice chase at Newcastle, former smart hurdler and race favourite Weapons Amnesty seemed to be strugggling, but Davy Russell urged his Irish raider to the inside rail, and despite the danger of running into traffic, Weapons Amnesty suddenly started to respond to his jockey's urgings. Coming to the last, Russell had found a way through, and his mount had moved alongside Mumbles Head, and after both put in good jumps, Weaponds Amnesty's class began to show, and he pulled clear on the run-in.

Murtagh takes title for fourth time.

Following 177 race days and 1,032 races the 2009 Irish flat season came to a close last evening at Dundalk. Johnny Murtagh, HRI's Flat Ambassador took the Champion Jockey title with 93 wins after a gallant battle with Pat Smullen (88). This was the fourth time Murtagh had been crowned as Champion Jockey, but it was also his first success in eleven years.

Aidan O'Brien won his fifteenth Flat Trainer title, while Gary Carroll won the Apprentice title, and team Coolmore became Champion Owners once again.

Masterminded expected to make full recovery.

Thursday's precautionary bone scan of dual Queen Mother Champion Chaser Masterminded has discovered the Paul Nicholls trained gelding has been suffering from a stress fracture to a rib, and this would not only explain why he pulled to his right in Cheltenham's Connaught Chase, it would also suggest he would have been in pain while having to take deep breaths during the exertions of the race, and this would obviously have inhibited his performance, and could explain why he succumbed to both Well Chief and Mahogany Blaze in the Prestbury Park two mile contest.

However, Having now discovered the problem, owner Clive Smith is upbeat about Masterminded's chances of winning a third consecutive Champion Chase next March.

"With rest and care he should make a full recovery, and there will still be time to get him prepared for the cheltenham Festival, and at least he will now go into the race as a fresh horse."

Today's Scoop Six Races.

Last week's Betfair punter who won over £644,000 on the Scoop Six Win Fund will today attempt to add just over £297,000 in the Bonus Fund. If he fails, there will be a very substantial Bonus Fund agailable to today's potential winner of the Scoop Six Win Fund. For those who want to be eligible for next week's Bonus Fund, you must first find the winners to today's following races:

Leg 1 - 1.50 pm Newcastle.

Leg 2 - 2.05 pm Newbury.

Leg 3 - 2.40 pm Newbury (Bonus Race).

Leg 4 - 2.55 pm Newcastle.

Leg 5 - 3.15 pm Newbury.

Leg 6 - 3.25 pm Newcastle.

Head gear firsts in today's Hennessy.

For those who are interested in horses wearing head gear aids for the first time, it is worth noting in today's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, Nicky Henderson's Barbers Shop wears cheek pieces for the first time, while the Tom Mullins trained Irish raider Chelsea Harbour will wear blinkers for the first time in his racing career.

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