A superb seven-race card takes place at Newbury this Saturday with the Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase the feature race at 2.55pm.
Focusing on the action at the Berkshire racecourse, we pick out our best bets across the card on what should be an exhilarating day’s racing over the sticks.
Coral Gold Cup Day Tips
12.30 Newbury – King’s Threshold (1pt win – 9/1 generally)
Emma Lavelle’s King’s Threshold was hugely progressive last season and duly landed a hat-trick of wins on the bounce when scoring at Newbury back in March. He failed to bag the four-timer when well beaten in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, whilst he made no impression on his comeback run at Cheltenham last month. However, it took him some time last season to get firing on all cylinders and he could be tailor-made for this Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase at 12.30pm. Dropped 2lbs by the handicapper, he’s now only 5lbs higher than the mark he won off at Newbury last season and the drop back in trip for this contest should see him in a better light and he could well be a lively outsider.
2.15 Newbury – Indemnity (1pt win – 4/1 generally)
Runner-up in the Anniversary 4-Y-O Hurdle at Aintree, Live Conti could prove to be too classy for his rivals in the 2.15pm contest, but giving lumps of weight away here on his first start of the campaign could see Dan Skelton’s charge just come up against one too good here. That one could hand the aforementioned Lavelle another winner on Saturday with Indemnity heading to Newbury in fine fettle and off 10st 7lbs looks to have a fantastic chance. The five-year-old racked up three wins in a row and was last seen finishing second at Ascot, where he was beaten by subsequent Greatwood Hurdle winner Alexei. That is top notch 2m handicap hurdle form, so to only be running off a 1lb higher mark here means he certainly has a great chance of continuing his rapid rise up the rankings and off a featherweight he can prevail.
2.55 Newbury – Inch House (1pt win – 16/1 William Hill)
A winner of this race 12 months ago with Kandoo Kid, Paul Nicholls can duly land the prestigious Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase for a fifth time with Inch House, who looks a leading outsider for the contest. Slipping in at the bottom of the weights, the eight-year-old warmed up for this with a promising effort at Cheltenham when finishing sixth in a cracking 3m 1f contest. He was prominently ridden that day, but just tired in the final half-a-mile of the contest. That was his first run for ten months, so he was sure to be lacking race fitness and dropped 1lb by the handicapper for Saturday’s race he has to be respected off 131. A dual winner at Newbury, which included victory in the Peter O’Sullevan, the Ditcheat raider may lack the class of some his rivals here, but off a low weight he could be very tough to catch, if he can get clear on the front end.
3.35 Newbury – Etalon (1pt win – 6/1 generally)
General Medrano will attempt to win this race for the second year running, but faces a tougher task off an 8lbs higher mark and could prove vulnerable. Dan Skelton’s Etalon was quietly fancied for this event last year, but disappointed and finished in last place, but he can bounce back here. He was last seen putting up a decent effort when second to Twinjets at Fontwell last time out, and that pair had pulled 10 lengths clear of a decent yardstick in Heltenham. He’s 1lbs higher than in last year’s race and off top weight has a big task on his hands, but with Tristan Durrell taking off 3lbs then the Skelton charge could be very tough to beat.
Newbury Tips For Saturday 29th November
- 12.30 Newbury – King’s Threshold (1pt win – 9/1 generally)