The Coral Gold Cup is one of Newbury’s feature races of the season, and has been won by some very good chasers in the past. One of the main names to win this race include ‘The Tank’ Denman, plus Many Clouds and Bobs Worth. This is a race all connections want to win, and they tend to usually outline this race as the main target early on into the horses season. Could we have another name like Denman come out of the race this year?
GG writer Jake Russell previews this years race, before giving his verdict on who he expects to come out on top.
Last year’s renewal saw 9/2 favourite LE MILOS come out on top for the Skelton’s, fending off the late challenge from Remastered:
Key Race Trends
- 11 of the last 12 winners were aged between 6-8.
- 4 of the last 12 winners were favourites, 5 of the last 12 winners were in the top 3 in the betting.
- 10 of the last 12 winners carried 11st 4lbs or less.
- 6 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before the Coral Gold Cup, 10 of the last 12 winners finished 3rd or higher on their last run, 10 of the last 12 winners ran within the last 57 days.
- 5 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous run at Newbury, 5 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous win at Newbury.
- 11 of the last 12 winners had at least 4 previous runs over 24 furlongs or further, 10 of the last 12 had at least 1 previous wins over 24 furlongs or further.
- 11 of the last 12 winners had at least 6 previous chase runs, 12 of the last 12 winners had at least 2 previous chase wins.
- 10 of the last 12 winners were rated 146+.
- 5 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous win in a grade 1-3 race.
- 10 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 run that season, 5 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 win that season.
Key Runners
Complete Unknown
(Paul Nicholls)
This race is usually won by a Graded type in a handicap, with the likes of Denman, Many Clouds and Native River being on this illustrious role of honour for the race, they have all won Grade 1 races since landing the Coral Gold Cup. Complete Unknown fits the bill perfectly for me, trained by Paul Nicholls, he is an improving chaser who is currently fairly well treated on his current mark of 152, and I feel he is going to be the one who comes out of this race as a potential Graded chaser in the making.
Running in some decent Graded Novice events last term, he came second in a Grade 2 and Grade 1 contest. And although he has been operating at 3-miles on occasions last season, he will have to take a slight step up in trip here which should suit him. He does hold the record of 3 wins in just 5 chase starts, and compare that to his hurdle form of 1 win in 7 runs, its clear to see he is a natural chaser already, with further improvement likely. He had already had a pipe opener at Newton Abbot last month in a three runner field, he had to do it the hard way by only winning by a length. However the race was far from run to suit as he had to pretty much lead all the way around, which is something I don’t think he would want to do in his races. The horse who he beat that day Might I has since come in (albeit a two-runner field where the other rival fell) so the form has been backed up nicely from Complete Unknowns seasonal debut.
I picked this horse out in my horses to follow article, and stated there I think he is tailor made for the Coral Gold Cup, and seemingly Paul Nicholls agrees, but obviously he would have had this as a plan way longer than I had thought. He is the current market leader, but that is to be expected considering who he is trained by and the comments Paul has made on this horse, this has been the plan for a while by all accounts. I think he is the one they all have to beat and has been campaigned perfectly for this. If he was to go on and land this contest come Saturday, I think Graded glory could be on the cards next for him.
Mahler Mission
(John McConnell)
The vibes from John McConnell have been very strong for his horse, stating on the Newbury open gallops morning last week that he looks better than ever and has been going very well at home with his work. John also stated he ticks all the boxes for this race come Saturday.
A three time winner over hurdles, connections wasted no time in getting Mahler Mission over the larger obstacles, where he has won once in just six career runs so far over fences. That does include a Beginners Chase victory ahead of Tenzing at Navan back in January, where he beat his rivals by a very easy 10 lengths. He has since come 2nd in a Grade 2 Novice Chase at Navan, only beaten by three quarters of a length by Churchstonewarrior when sent off the 6/4 favourite for the race. He was in the process of running a very decent race in the National Hunt Chase at the Festival in March, when going fairly well clear 4 out, he was staying on well with 2 jumps to go, but unfortunately fell at the 2nd last. It’s obviously hard to gauge whether he would have got up the hill in front and won, but one things for sure he was in the process of running a cracking race at the time before he fell.
A bit like Complete Unknown, who he did beat at Perth in April 2022, that was in a Listed Hurdle contest, Mahler Mission has already had a run this season, which was a decent enough effort that will blow the cobwebs away for Newbury on Saturday. They brought him over to the UK to run in the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Chase, where he came 2nd beaten by a little over 3 lengths, with Thunder Rock in first that day. He did jump left on a few occasions at Carlisle, which could be a cause for concern in any race, however that shouldn’t be an issue at Newbury. Rated only a pound below Complete Unknown, who he did beat over Hurdles, that could be a little difference maker between the pair, and like his old rival, Mahler Mission could easily be a Graded horse operating in a handicap. This 3m2f trip might be on the far side for him, as arguably his best career performance have been over slight shorter, but he has run well at this sort of trip in the past, so it shouldn’t be to much of a problem.
Monbeg Genius
(Jonjo O’Neill)
Jonjo O’Neill has his horses operating in decent fashion at the moment, as the yard currently operate at a 21% win strike rate for the last 14 days, and his runner here Monbeg Genius does arrive into this race off the back of a disappointing seasonal debut at Ascot last time. He was quite lightly raced over hurdles when just having the four runs over them, before going over to fences where he has had the 6 runs over them so far, which does include 3 wins, therefore a 50% win strike rate over fences.
Last season was a very productive season for him, where he won three races in a row. Starting off with the mark of 122 before his first run, three wins later and he had shot up the ratings to 140, obviously a career high mark for him. He went into the festival at Cheltenham off the back of a three race winning streak, and that did unfortunately end in the Ultima. But he did run very well to claim 3rd spot, only beaten by just over 2 lengths, getting an even further 7lb raise to 147 in the ratings after that performance. Now his run last time does leave a question mark or two, where he was keen throughout and did make a few mistakes, which resulted in him being pulled up three from home, with quite a fair bit of the race still to run. He was fairly well fancied in the market when sent off 11/2, so there was good vibes from him heading into the race, which again would be a cause for slight concern.
However, one thing to really note is his form fresh, his fresh figures read 2,4,4,PU – And he does tend to run much better or even win after having the one run of the season to blow the cobwebs away. That run last time wasn’t quite the best pipe opener, however he will most likely come on for the run.
Stumptown
(Gavin Cromwell)
Like Jonjo O’Neill, the Gavin Cromwell horses are going quite well this season so far with a few Listed and Grade 3 contests won, as well as a premier handicap chase at Cheltenham with Malina Girl. And the yards runner for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday, Stumptown does head into this race off the back of a 70+ day break. This could or could not play into the horses favour, especially as he is set to go up against quite a few race fit rivals on Saturday, but the break could bring him into this nice and fresh.
Stumptown is another horse who has really shot up the ratings over the past few seasons, once rated 112 before winning two quite valuable races in a row at Thurles and Sandown, raising to a new rating of 135 after those decent efforts. Like a few of these who have form at the Cheltenham Festival, Gavin Cromwell’s charge came 2nd in the Kim Muir last Festival, which was a very good effort, only beaten by three quarters of a length. That was quite clearly a career best effort, and was sent off the 7/2 favourite that day therefore vibes were quite strong on him, and although he didn’t win, he still ran with plenty of credit that day. He did pull up in the Irish National net time, the trip might be on the far side for him. He has technically had the two runs this season so far, beaten 30 lengths when coming 4th of 5 runners at Galway, before coming 8th in the Kerry National, not jumping very well at all with a few mistakes in there.
I wouldn’t be overly convinced he wants this sort of trip as yet as his run in the Irish National does stick into my mind as looking like it was a little to far for him, especially around Newbury, but he will have a nice weight for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday.
Midnight River
(Dan Skelton)
There aren’t many jockeys booked up as yet for this race as final declarations are still to be confirmed, but Harry Skelton has been booked up to ride Midnight River for his brother come Saturday, therefore it looks very much like this horse will be running.
One of the more experienced runners at the top end of the market, he has already had the 10 career runs over fences so far, which does include four wins and three 3rd placed efforts. Again like a few of these currently declared for the race, he has been operating at the longer 3-mile trip only recently, as he also has some winning form to boot over shorter earlier on in his career, but his two most recent runs have been over 3 miles or slightly longer. He ended last season with a very decent win in the William Hill Handicap Chase at Aintree’s Grand National meeting, beating Bowtogreatness by three quarters of a length before testing the waters in Grade 2 company for his first run of the season. That was in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, where he came a fairly remote 3rd. Beaten by 23 lengths in the end, weakening quickly in the closing stages, looking like he needed the run to sharpen him up for the season ahead.
I think connections wanted to test the water to see if he might be a graded type early on in this season, before running him in this valuable contest, and in some more competitive races further along in the season. He has won a few valuable handicaps in the past already, so could go well in this, and is a runner who fits the bill with previous trends for the race.
Outsiders To Watch
Stolen Silver
(Sam Thomas)
Sam Twiston-Davies has kick started the new season in great form, as he currently operates at a 24% win strike rate for the last 14 days, and there is nobody better in the riding game than Sammy Twist to get a horse up in the finish. He is currently booked to ride Stolen Silver in this come Saturday, and given a post that Newbury Racecourse put out on Twitter/X showing this horse enjoying a splash in the water, they stated he is ready to go for the big race at their venue this weekend.
I think Sam Thomas is a really good trainer, who deserves a few more of the higher calibre horses to train, and his grey here could be the one to take them to new heights. A mixed bag with his form last season, he was operating in some very decent contests over 2m4f, and he shown last time that a step up in trip might suit this horse. That was the opener race meeting of the new jumps season at Chepstow where the yard sent three runners there, with all three of them leaving as winners. That included Stolen Silver where he stepped up in trip to 2m7f, and he looked to have relished that step up, when beating Tea Clipper by an easy 6 lengths. His jumping was a real asset that day, and I think this even further step up in trip will suit. He has the run to his name already, which earned him the new rating of 157 (7lb’s higher than his win last time).
He could fit the bill and should he re-produce the effort that saw him win the Grade 2 Matt Hampson Foundation Silver Trophy Handicap Chase at Cheltenham back in April 2022, he could be quite hard to peg back in this, and he is currently decent price considering his previous form.
Cloudy Glen
(Venetia Williams)
It’s no secret that Venetia Williams has her horses absolutely flying again at present, and her horses do seem to do very well in these early season contests. The yard are fresh off their Grade 1 triumph in the Betfair Chase over the weekend with Royal Pagaille who is now set to run in the King George at Kempton on Boxing day.
Their runner for the Coral Gold Cup on Saturday Cloudy Glen doesn’t overly fit the bill for previous trends of this race. Being a 10yo currently, he is one of the older horses to the party, and this is usually a race where a younger type comes and wins it before going on to bigger and better things for the season ahead, but the way Cloudy Glen run last time was very admirable indeed. Fairly lightly raced last term, he lined up in a decent Handicap Chase won by Malina Girl at Cheltenham last time for his first run of the season, virtually making all and jumping with real zest to finish a fairly remote and tired 2nd, only beaten by 10 lengths. However that was a pretty awesome performance and I was certainly cheering him on as the race progressed. That would have surely blown the cobwebs away ready for this on Saturday, and should he get an easy time of things at the front end, I wouldn’t be surprised should he run like he did last time, and plug on to claim a spot in the placings.
I would have imagined this race might not have been on the forefront of connections minds, but the way he ran last time shown he still loves his racing, and why not take a chance here. Given the vast experience he has as a chaser, he could use that to good use here against some lesser experienced chaser at the top end of the market.
Big-Race Verdict
I am rarely bullish in these types of previews, especially for a big field competitive handicap that we are sure to have on Saturday, however I really think Complete Unknown fits the bill perfect for this contest at Newbury on Saturday. I picked him out for this race when doing my 10 to follow for the season, stating he is tailor made for the contest. Although his seasonal debut last time didn’t blow anyone away visually, it would have got him ready for this. When Paul Nicholls plots a horse for a race, and he has with this horse since last year, it usually pays off, and I think he is a graded horse running in a handicap this weekend. Stolen Silver took the step up in trip well last time when winning at Chepstow, and he fits the trend nicely, and that win at Chepstow last time was a very good effort when winning by 6 lengths. And although Cloudy Glen doesn’t fit those trends, he ran very well last time out at Cheltenham showing some zest from his old form. He still looks to be loving racing and could go well if given an easy time of things at the front end, with his chasing experience to boot.
SELECTIONS: Complete Unknown – To Win (7/1 Generally), Stolen Silver – EW (18/1 Generally) & Cloudy Glen – EW (20/1 Generally)
*Odds Correct At Time Of Writing – 2.30pm Tuesday 28th November*
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