There is growing confidence that Carruthers can topple former Gold Cup winner Denman in Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

While top-weight Denman is a solid 4-1 favourite with most bookmakers for the £200,000 Grade 3 chase, support has come in for Carruthers in recent days and the gamble is set to continue after an upbeat report from his trainer.

The six-year-old won the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices' Chase at Ascot last season, before finishing a gutsy fourth to Cooldine in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham last March.

Having had a pipe-opener at Wincanton last month to start the season, the Mark Bradstock team believe they have the front-running six-year-old spot-on for the extended 3m2f handicap.

Sarah Bradstock, wife of trainer Mark, said: "We're really pleased with him. He had a cut on the inside of his back leg after Wincanton but it was nothing serious. We've had to be careful with it, but he was never lame and hasn't missed any work.

"He seems to be over that and we're really pleased with the weather forecast. He'll love the soft, wet ground, and, with only 10st 1lb on his back, hopefully he can get out there in front, pop away at his fences and he'll take a lot of beating. They might not be able to catch him."

Mattie Batchelor will ride the gelding, who is trained for breeder and part-owner Lord Oaksey by his son-in-law.

The most successful amateur rider in post-War history and founder of the Injured Jockeys Fund, Oaksey has arguably given more to racing than any other in the last half-century.

And though his mare Plaid Maid gave birth to a son of dual Ascot Gold Cup winner Kayf Tara on April Fool's Day in 2003, Oaksey's daughter Sarah thinks the joke could be on the bookmakers on Saturday.

"Carruthers has strengthened up really well in the summer. He's a better horse than last year and he's got to improve for being stronger," she said.

"In a way, it is good that he didn't have a hard race at Wincanton, and he's got no weight, so we're very hopeful."

Carruthers is a best-priced 14-1 at Sportingbet and as short as 10-1 with Coral and William Hill.

Hennessy Gold Cup (Coral betting): 4 Denman, 6 What A Friend, 7 Barbers Shop, 8 Killyglen, 10 Cappa Bleu, Carruthers, 14 Atouchbetweencara, Gone To Lunch, 16 others.