The Coral Gold Cup, more commonly known as the ‘Hennessy’, takes centre stage at Newbury later this month over the testing trip of three miles and two furlongs. The valuable handicap has been etched in steeplechasing history since its inauguration in 1951 when Mandarin won it for Gerry Madden and Fulke Walwyn, who later regained his crown as a ten-year-old in 1961.
The roll of honours for the race is illustrious, with Arkle landing back to back renewals in the ‘60s, and the race is synonymous with Denman’s sensational weight carrying performance to land his second trophy in 2009 off a mark of 174.
The contest attracts a variety of thoroughbreds with differing profiles including nine Gold Cup winners latterly with Native River in 2018 and while it is often deemed as a good pointer toward the Aintree Grand National, only Many Clouds has been able to complete the Newbury/Aintree double having won the big one at 25/1 win 2015.
Market Leaders
Myretown 8/1
Despite her knack for developing staying chasers, Lucinda Russell is yet to win the Coral Gold Cup but that could change this season as last year’s Ultima winner Myretown currently heads the market.
The son of Dylan Thomas was well-beaten on chase debut at Newbury last season, but justified favouritism when bolting up nineteen lengths at Wetherby next time out. He took a heavy fall at Windsor, but bounced back a month later to make all in good style at Kelso. He was well backed into 13/2 favouritism in the Ultima, and duly obliged to beat The Changing Man eleven lengths having again made all.
The handicapper has pulled no punches rising him 15lbs, but it was a devastating performance and if he’s improved over the summer, he could take some pegging back.
Resplendent Grey 8/1
Walk In The Park gelding Resplendent Grey took his chasing form to a new level when expertly ridden to win the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown at the end of last season in first time cheekpieces. Though those aids were left off for his seasonal debut in the Colin Parker at Carlisle, he was again produced with aplomb by Sean Bowen to lower the colours of the Ben Pauling trained Handstands having been switched off early on.
That was a strong performance for one who stays dourly, and he’ll only improve for this step back up in trip.
Blizzard Of Oz 8/1
Willie Mullins doesn’t target that many early big races in Britain but he did land this with Total Recall in 2017 and Arctic Cosmos gelding Blizzard Of Oz is of interest after landing the Michael Hickey Memorial Chase at Wexford last time out.
Despite not jumping all that well throughout, he travelled strongly in behind the favourite Rocky’s Diamond who fared well in last season’s Stayers’ Hurdle, with Paul Townend looking confident throughout.
He belatedly opened his chase account having finished behind the likes of Lecky Waston and Quai De Bourbon last season, but he was only beaten a head at Punchestown in a Listed Handicap Chase there in May, rallying strongly to suggest a step up in trip would suit. His dam is a half-sister to a four-mile chase winner in Delray Beach so there is stamina for this further trip in the pedigree, and he rates a serious threat now stepping into handicap company given his collateral form-lines with graded horses.
Katate Dori 12/1
Katate Dori would need a few horses above him in the weights to pull out in order to get in here off a mark off 137, but should that occur then he’ll be of major interest for Sam Thomas whose had great success in staying handicap chases of late.
The son of Bathyrhon failed to make a mark in his seven runs over hurdles, but when equipped with a visor and sent chasing earlier this year he found a new lease of life. He bolted up twelve lengths off a mark of 110 at Exeter prior to backing that up at Chepstow and while he failed to justify favouritism in the Somerset National, he was well-backed in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Kempton to win by 15 lengths having travelled smartly throughout in rear.
He pulled up in the Ultima and would have to put that behind him to figure here, but he’s entered in a Pertemps Qualifier at Aintree on Saturday and if he shows up well, that could put him spot on to land another big staying pot.
The Changing Man 14/1
The Changing Man was sent off the joint favourite for the Sodexo Live! Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Ascot on seasonal debut but in typical The Changing Man fashion, finished second to Henry’s Friend failing to go past once more. He’s won four times in his twenty six races, but remarkably finished second eleven times including in seven of his thirteen chase starts and in four Grade 3 Handicap Chases last season.
He’s evidently a talented horse and I’m surprised connections haven’t tried him in headgear yet to try eek out that slight bit more of improvement in the finish. While the nature of this race will suit him, it may prove successful to back him in the place market.
Outsiders To Consider
Now Is The Hour 14/1
Irish raider Now Is The Hour remains a maiden over fences but that mightn’t have been the case had he not fell two out in the National Hunt Challenge Cup at Cheltenham. It was surprising to see him make his chase debut in March having previously won the G2 Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock in February, particularly over two miles. He failed to get competitive in his next two chase starts in December, but there was plenty of promise to take from his staying on fourth to Three Card Brag in a Beginners Chase at Navan.
He failed to fire in the Irish Grand National, but he’s clearly capable of showing up well off this mark and it would be interesting to see him take up his engagement at Fairyhouse in a Beginners Chase on Tuesday which could put him spot on for this.
Lowry’s Bar 20/1
Lowry’s Bar blotted his copybook when pulling up in the Ladbrokes Trophy having been noted to have bled which put him out for the season. Prior to that, he was steadily progressive over fences having bumped into the subsequent Plate Handicap winner Jagwar on chase debut in November, before landing two handicap chases in gutsy fashion.
He stepped up to graded company in the Hampton Novices’ Chase at Windsor and while he could only manage second, he might’ve won there had he not made a bad terrible mistake three out. He’s evidently a horse with bundles of ability given his form over hurdles read 11112 and a mark of 148 could still underestimate him.
Gorgeous Tom 16/1
Gorgeous Tom threw his hat into the picture when splitting Firefox and Croke Park in a Grade 2 at Down Royal on seasonal debut and he’s an interesting contender bringing in proven Grade 1 form.
He won his chase debut at Wexford last August when beating the 130 rated Monbeg Park by three lengths, and he bounced back from a fall at Tipperary to once again beat Monbeg Park in a Cork Grade 3. It wasn’t the strongest of Drinmore’s that he was fourth in, but it was still a promising effort to be beaten a length in that Grade 1 and he backed that up with a fourth in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham.
He’s often shaped as if this extra distance would suit so it was a pleasing effort at Down Royal over 2m4f last time out, unsurprisingly given his dam is a half-sister to 2013 Grand National second Cappa Bleu.
Coming off the back of a joint career best performance, he’s likely to show up strongly with race fitness on side and he’s entirely unexposed in handicaps.
Verdict
RESPLENDENT GREY looked as good as ever in the Colin Parker over a trip shy of his best and this consistent son of Walk In The Park can follow up with another big staying handicap chase. A big galloping track like Newbury should suit his style as you can afford to miss the odd jump here, and given stamina is his forte he’s sure to be staying on strongly late under Sean Bowen.
It’ll be no surprise to see The Changing Man follow the selection home in second again as I’m sure he’s a much better horse than his mark suggests, but he’s notorious for not wanting to go past one in a finish and that may be the case once more.
Lowry’s Bar will miss his intended engagement at Wincanton in the Badger Beer on account of quick ground but should he turn up here then he can fill the third spot. A mark of 148 may yet underestimate him, particularly on the Jagwar and Jingko Blue form, and he shapes as if this 3m2f trip could bring out further improvement for a yard who have started off the season strongly.
Coral Gold Cup 1-2-3
- Resplendent Grey
- The Changing Man
- Lowry’s Bar
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