Paul Nicholls has won the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter a record eight times, but never with a five-year-old. Ditcheat’s exciting prospect Kalif Du Berlais looks to defy topweight in the Grade 2 limited handicap chase over almost 2m 2f in Devon on Friday, 7 November.
This Masked Marvel gelding didn’t run at the 2024 and 2025 Cheltenham Festivals with his powerful connections prioritising Aintree’s Grand National instead. All that could change in 2026, however, with Kalif Du Berlais relatively prominent in the ante-post Queen Mother Champion Chase betting.
According to the current Cheltenham odds for that Festival day 2 feature, he’s a 14/1 shot. That price could contract if Kalif Du Berlais lands the Haldon Gold Cup under the welter burden of 11st 12lb. He brings a three from five record over fences entering his second season in this sphere.
Bettering a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle win as a novice chaser last season, Kalif Du Berlais progressed to land the Manifesto Novices’ Chase on Merseyside. He jumped well and made all in the spring, earning a 4lb rise from the handicapper and beating Dan Skelton owner companion L’Eau Du Sud some five-and-a-half lengths.
Nicholls has since pledged to campaign Kalif Du Berlais like a Champion Chase horse with the division apparently in transition. Sooner or later, he must face Jonbon but that could come at Sandown in the Tingle Creek in December. Encounters with the Irish contingent led by dual Cheltenham winner Marine Nationale must wait until the Festival itself.
For now connections must focus on making the necessary improvement just to get Kalif Du Berlais into the Champion Chase mix. That process begins on an undulating right-handed track with him only winning anticlockwise over fences so far. He must give weight and a beating to five rivals.
Tizzard Team Plot Haldon Gold Cup Defence with JPR One
The Tizzard stable have won three of the last four editions of this feature race from Exeter. JPR One carried topweight to victory 12 months ago but, because of Kalif Du Berlais framing the handicap, now receives 3lb despite a 4lb higher mark. This eight-year-old son of Court Cave goes well fresh too, so favourite backers on Cheltenham betting sites should fear him.
JPR One didn’t win again last season after Exeter, but the runner-up did plenty to advertise the form. Djelo has since landed the Peterborough Chase, Denman Chase and Charlie Hall in the same grade. Even the third home, Sans Bruit (a stable companion of Kalif Du Berlais) came out and won valuable handicaps around Aintree and Plumpton in the spring.
It’s 25 years since Venetia Williams captured the Haldon Gold Cup with Bellator. She often has a runner and saddles Ascot specialist Martator this time. This eight-year-old Martaline gelding has won three of his last four outings at the galloping Berkshire tracks, so tries this even more undulating course for the first time with 10st 11lb on his back.
Pillar to post!
Saint Segal returns with a gutsy all-the-way display at @Chepstow_Racing to fend off Il Ridoto in good style!@NandJ_WilliamsR | @CM_Gethings pic.twitter.com/OI7qmz34RA
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 12, 2025
Chepstow regular Saint Segal has a 4lb hike for his reappearance win at the Welsh Racing Festival. Like Martator, Jane Williams’ seven-year-old son of Saint Des Saints has more on his plate now. Put out of the handicap by Kalif Du Berlais, meanwhile, are thriving Skelton inmate Thistle Ask (5lb wrong under a 4lb penalty) and Here Comes Georgie (9lb out the weights).
Making a case for either at such disadvantages is difficult. It’s clear that Kalif Du Berlais must deliver on this reappearance if he wants to fulfil the ambitions of connections and take high rank among the two-mile chasers. Races from now on will only get harder, but this young pretender has potential.
Haldon Gold Cup 2025 Shortlist & Verdict
It’s not Kalif Du Berlais‘ race to lose, but he’s the right favourite on an upward curve. Conceding 3lb to JPR One shouldn’t be beyond if he justifies Nicholls’ encomiums, but the Tizzard yard’s fine recent record here commands respects. The others look like handicappers you’ll see on Saturdays throughout the core jumps season.
WATCH: JPR One Win the Haldon Gold Cup in 2024
