Nicky Henderson tipped for success in Hennessy Gold Cup

One of the first major races of the National Hunt season takes place at Newbury on Saturday, with the 60th running of the Hennessy Gold Cup.

Twenty runners have been confirmed for this year's renewal, with last year's winner Smad Place among them.

With prize-money of £200,000, the Newbury set piece is one of the biggest events in the jumps calendar.

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First run in 1957 at Cheltenham, the Hennessy Gold Cup has been held at Newbury since 1960. It has often served as a precursor to the Cheltenham Gold Cup and eight horses have done the double. The most recent was Bobs Worth who won the Hennessy in 2012 and triumphed at Cheltenham the following spring.

This year Native River (6-1) heads the betting ahead of the big day.

"Colin Tizzard has carried all before him this season and has two strong chances with Native River, a Grade One winner as a novice, and Theatre Guide, second and third in the race in the past," says Sky Sports, which adds that Smad Place looked impressive last year but "will find life tougher with 11lb more on his back".

Casting his eye over the early betting Matt Brocklebank of Sporting Life says: "It is far from beyond the realms of possibility then that last year's fifth Saphir Du Rheu [9-1] can step up and take top spot and the handicapper has certainly given him a huge shout as he's 10lb lower than last November." He is currently available at 9-1.

The Racing Post also has interest in Saphir. Trainer Paul Nicholls, believes "the time for Saphir Du Rheu to stop being a talking horse and deliver is upon us", says the horse-racing bible.

However, Brocklebank believes the day could belong to trainer Nicky Henderson, who suffered a terrible misfortune earlier this month when chaser Simonsig had a fatal injury shortly after the announcement that Sprinter Sacre was being retired.

The trainer was shaken by those events but has plenty of other aces up his sleeve and "it's Vyta Du Roc [9-1] who looks best equipped to cope with the Hennessy test", says Brocklebank. He adds: "He's fancied to put a smile back on the face of a man who was recently dealt a seismic double-blow that was felt throughout the National Hunt landscape",