Can lightning strike twice at Newbury? Jamie Snowden dreaming of back-to-back Coral Gold Cup victories

Jamie Snowden is hoping history can repeat itself as the Lambourn trainer bids for a second successive win in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday week.

Snowden, who has made a strong start to the season with 22 winners, landed the £250,000 contest with Datsalrightgino 12 months ago and is responsible for joint-favourite Colonel Harry, who races in the same GD Partnership colours.

The seven-year-old is an 8-1 shot with the race sponsors and Snowden is desperate to provide the owners with more glory after Datsalrightgino suffered a fatal injury following a fall at Cheltenham in January. 

Speaking from Newbury, he said: "It’d be very poignant for the owners and great if lightning can strike twice. He follows a very similar profile to Datsalrightgino as he was a Grade 2 novice chase winner, he’s had a prep run and he was placed in a Grade 1 over hurdles. He’s also unexposed at this sort of trip and hopefully there’s some mileage off his handicap mark."

Colonel Harry finished second behind Marble Sands on his seasonal return at Carlisle this month and Snowden has opted to keep him at home before the big race.

He said: "He’s in great form. We didn’t bring him to Newbury for a gallop as he’s a different type of horse to Datsalrightgino, who we brought to this event last year. He was a big, burly individual who needed every bit of graft, whereas Colonel Harry is more angular. As we had our prep run at Carlisle, we thought we’d do all our work at home and keep a lid on him."

Colonel Harry: joint-favourite for the Coral Gold CupCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The Coral Gold Cup has attracted 31 entries, although that figure will be reduced when confirmations are revealed at the five-day stage on Monday. Champion trainer Willie Mullins is likely to rely on Horantzau D'Airy.

Mullins’ only success in the race came with Total Recall in 2017 and assistant trainer Patrick Mullins believes Horantzau D'Airy has a strong chance after coming close on two recent starts in staying handicap chases.

He said: "He’s had two fantastic runs when he was second in the Munster National and second in the Kerry National. The winners made all both times and we were dropped in. 

"He’s got a good profile and he’s lightly raced over fences, so he’s fairly unexposed. We’ve stepped him up in trip and he’s hit the crossbar in two valuable staying handicaps. He’s in super form and we’re very much looking forward to him running."

French raider General En Chef is expected to travel to Newbury and joint-trainer Noel George is confident he has the ability to outrun his odds of 20-1.

He said: "In the spring he was third in a French Gold Cup, so he’s a good stayer and for me he’s a Grade 1 horse. I think the fact he’s got in off a mark of 148 will be very interesting. He’s got a nice racing weight and, although it’s a tough task for a French horse, I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t travel well. 

"Since he’s come to us, we’ve changed tactics with him as he used to be a front-runner. Now we’ve very much dropped him in so he relaxes more. The style of Newbury with two long straights will help him switch off and it will really suit him."

Coral Gold Cup (3.00 Newbury, November 30)

Coral: 8 Colonel Harry, Senior Chief, 10 Broadway Boy, 12 Trelawne, Midnight River, 14 Horantzau D'Airy, 16 Grey Dawning, Inch House, 20 bar.

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