Coral Gold Cup Runners 2025: Full field of 24 take aim at historic Newbury handicap

27 horses remain for the 69th renewal of the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury this Saturday, 29th November. The 3m2f handicap, formerly known as the Hennessy Gold Cup, has been won by many of the sport’s greats and may well host a more substantial field than last season in which only 13 took part.

There is significant Irish interest towards the top of the handicap, but a long-term ante-post favourite has been Myretown for Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore. The eight-year-old stormed to a wide-margin front-running victory in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham back in March and has won three of his five starts over fences, improving significantly for stepping up in trip.

Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen have been enjoying plenty of days in the spotlight of late and Resplendent Grey also comes here on a hat-trick. He won the bet365 Gold Cup to conclude last season over 3m4f, but showed his versatility when defeating Grade 1 winner Handstands on his return over 2m4f at Carlisle.

Among the rest of the British contingent heading the betting, another grey in Hyland has been eased slightly in the handicap after his return at Cheltenham for Nicky Henderson and remains a horse with potential, as does The Changing Man, whose curse of seconditis continued when a gallant runner-up at Ascot on his return. Both are proven stayers at around this trip, while last year’s third Victtorino is also worthy of mention.

Willie Mullins is targeting this with a multitude of raiders as he seeks a first Coral Gold Cup since 2017. Kerry National winner Spanish Harlem is one of them, the seven-year-old having finished fourth to Resplendent Grey at Sandown to conclude last season though is now higher in the weights than that rival. Another is Blizzard Of Oz, a winner on his return at Wexford for a debut success over fences. Cheltenham Festival third O’Moore Park and the mare A Penny A Hundred stand their ground too.

The weights are currently headed by Gold Cup fourth Monty’s Star for Henry De Bromhead, who was last seen finishing a distant third to Galopin Des Champs in the Punchestown Gold Cup. Also spearheading the handicap are 2024 Irish Grand national hero Intense Raffles and recent Cheltenham scorer Three Card Brag, representing Thomas Gibney and Gordon Elliott respectively.

2025 Coral Gold Cup Runners