The tank is back — and how. Denman’s superb performance in joining Arkle and Mandarin in winning the Hennessy Gold Cup for a second time, puts him firmly in the frame to do what his stablemate Kauto Star has done and recapture Cheltenham’s Gold Cup after losing it.

He will, of course, have to overcome his old foe, with the score standing at 1-1 and that should make for a cracking third encounter next March.

Denman won in 2007 with a power-packed show — just like Saturday’s display — when it was thought all was not well with Kauto. The latter reversed the result last March when Denman was recovering for a defibrillating heart.

Saturday’s win off a 13lb higher mark than the previous time, was a class performance and one of the great weight-carrying victories. Only he and Arkle have twice won the Hennessy under top weight.

And now that he’s right back in the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture, a price of 5-2 is definitely a worthwhile bet.

He ran Kauto into the ground two years ago with the pace he set and his authoritative jumping. The horse is to that sort of form and while Timefore rate him 3lbs behind Kauto, he is a machine when everything is right.

That will leave jockey Ruby Walsh with a difficult call as to whether he should desert the Star on whom he has won two Gold Cups for Denman.

If he does switch, then that will be a tip in itself, but the likelihood is that he will stick with Kauto and he is 4-7 to do just that.

That will leave a great spare ride for someone and while Sam Thomas, who was on board in 2007 is 4-9 favourite, don’t take it for granted.

Don’t be surprised that owners Harry Findlay and Paul Barber decide to go for Tony McCoy if Jonjo O’Neill has nothing worthwhile in the race which is more than likely. McCoy is 100-30 and should be backed to ride Walsh’s ‘reject.’