Previous Maryland Hunt Cup winners to have a rematch in this year's Hunt Cup

Details: April 12, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

REISTERSTOWN, Md.--Withoutmoreado, last year's Maryland Hunt Cup winner, and Vintage Vinnie, winner in both 2021 and 2022, are both aimed at this year's race on April 27.

Withoutmoreado 3rd Douglas Lees Withoutmoreado
VINTAGE VINNIE 22 W Vintage Vinnie

Along with those two previous winners, the second placed horses from last year and 2022, Royal Ruse and Rocket Star Red, are also nominated to the Hunt Cup, as well as Good Old Times, third in 2022.

With those five horses, along with another eight nominated to the Hunt Cup, this year's edition may be one of the most exciting ever.

It may well come down to the condition of the turf in the four mile race that features the biggest timber fences in the world.

Withoutmoreado favors soft going, while Vintage Vinnie prefers hard going.

ARMATA STABLES' Vintage Vinnie, trained by Joe Davies, won by an extraordinary 96 lengths in 2021, ridden by Dan Nevin, and then won by 54 lengths in 2022, ridden by Teddy Davies.

Davies said that Vintage Vinnie had two strikes against him last year.

"Vinnie needs hard ground," said Davies."Plus, Teddy broke his collarbone before last year's race.so couldn't ride him.Vinnie never got the lead and never relaxed last year."

Vinnie tied and was pulled up after the 18t fence.

Vintage Vinnieis enteredin the Apprentice Rider Timer at My Lady's Manor on April 13 and Teddy will ride Vinnie both at the Manor and the Hunt Cup.

Davies, who for years has focused his stable'sattention on winning the Hunt cup, has five nominated to this year's race.

Kinross Ram's Blackhall (Ire), who fell at the 16th fence in last year's Hunt Cup, ridden by Theresa Dimfel, will run in the second division of the Maiden Timeratthe Manor, ridden by Dimfel.

Davies has also entered three horses that would be first time starters in the Hunt Cup, Kinross Farm's Great Road, and Mr. Fine Threads and Our Friend, both owned by Armata Stables.

Great Road, Mr. Fine Threads and Our Friend will all run in the Grand National,, and Davies said those three, as well as Blackhall, would have to jump well to go to the Hunt Cup.

Neilson said Irv Naylor's Withoutmoreado would run in the Hunt Cup een if the ground was hard, but Conor Tierney, who has ridden the 10-year-old gelding throughout most of his career, sprained his ankle in a race in Virginia on April 6, is questionable for the Hunt Cup. Withoutmoreado prepped for the Hunt Cup with an easy run at Cheshire and a win over Shootist at Brandywine Hills.

Charlie Fenwick's Royal Ruse, trained by Sanna Neilson, was second in last year's Hunt Cup and was fourth in 2021.

Royal Ruse was second at Cheshire and will run in the $50,000 My Lady's Manor Stakes on April 13, ridden by Nevins.

Lucy Goelet's Rocket Star Red, trained by Mark Beecher, who himself won the Hunt Cup as a rider, was second in 2022 and third in 2021, but fell at the 13th last year.

Beecher also has nominated Armata Stables; Goodoldtimes (Ire) who was third in 2022 and lost his rider at the 11th fence last year.

Upland Partners' Shootist, trained by Mark Todd, tired and was pulled up after the 18th last year, andpreppedfor this year's rce with close second to Withoutmoreado at Brandywine Hills.

Also nominated to this year's Hunt Cup are first time starters Awesome Adrian, trained by Neilson, Hafjay, trained by Richard Valentine, and Queen'sEmpire, trained by Jack Fisher.