Confirmed runners and riders for the 2023 Coral Gold Cup at Newbury - plus a big-race tip and free bet

Complete Unknown is likely to take on 18 rivals in the Coral Gold Cup as he bids to provide Paul Nicholls with his first win in the prestigious handicap since Denman's sensational success in 2009.

The seven-year-old was runner-up to Gold Cup second favourite Gerri Colombe in Grade 1 company at Aintree's Grand National meeting and is unbeaten in two handicap starts over fences. 

He had long been the ante-post favourite before being displaced by 6-1 market leader Mahler Mission, who bids to become the first Irish-trained winner since Total Recall in 2017.

Sail Away, Beauport and Lord Accord were taken out of Newbury's jumps season highlight at the final declaration stage on Thursday morning.

20 runners were left in the race but the £250,000 event is the second preference for Ga Law, with last season's Paddy Power Gold Cup winner likely to run in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle on the same afternoon.

Ga Law's trainer Jamie Snowden will still be represented by Datsalrightgino, who also holds a Rehearsal entry but whose first preference is Newbury. The same applies to Topham winner Bill Baxter, who will be ridden by Paul O'Brien for the first time and is trained by Warren Greatrex.

With Kitty's Light's regular rider Jack Tudor committed to ride last year's runner-up Remastered, Nick Scholfield partners the Scottish Grand National winner for the first time since finishing third in a Southwell novice hurdle in July 2020.

Monbeg Genius was beaten in last season's Ultima by only by subsequent Grand National winner Corach Rambler and Fastorslow, who has won two Grade 1 races since, and he bids to bounce back from being pulled up at Ascot last time out. He is trained by Jonjo O'Neill, who won this race with Cloth Cap in 2020 for Trevor Hemmings and the late owner's silks will be represented by 2021 winner Cloudy Glen for the in-form Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch.

Topweight Ahoy Senor makes his first appearance in handicap company off a mark of 169 while Sam Thomas, who steered Denman to the first of his victories in this race off a rating of 161 in 2007, bids to follow up as a trainer with Our Power and Stolen Silver.

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Coral Gold Cup confirmed runners and riders

Ahoy Senor Derek Fox
Stolen Silver Sam Twiston-Davies
Midnight River Harry Skelton
Dusart James Bowen
Eldorado Allen Brendan Powell
Zanza Micheal Nolan
Ga Law tbc
Complete Unknown Harry Cobden
Mahler Mission
Remastered Jack Tudor
Datsalrightgino Tom Cannon
Monbeg Genius Jonjo O'Neill Jr.
Kitty's Light Nick Scholfield
Our Power Adam Wedge
Twig Beau Morgan
Stumptown Danny Mullins
Cloudy Glen Charlie Deutsch
Bill Baxter Paul O'Brien
Max Flamingo Simon Torrens
Shakem Up'arry Ben Jones

Coral Gold Cup betting odds for Saturday's race

Coral: 6 Mahler Mission, 7 Complete Unknown, Monbeg Genius, 9 Midnight River, Stumptown, 12 Our Power, Remastered, 14 Stolen Silver, 16 Ahoy Senor, Bill Baxter, 20 Cloudy Glen, Datsalrightgino, Dusart, Eldorado Allen, Ga Law, Kitty’s Light, Shakem Up'Arry, Zanza, Twig, 40 Max Flamingo

Coral Gold Cup betting tip and 1-2 prediction

By Stuart Redding

1 Complete Unknown
2 Cloudy Glen

It is 14 years since Paul Nicholls last won this with Denman but Complete Unknown looks an ideal candidate to end that barren spell. His only defeats over fences so far have come in Graded races and he added a third success at Newton Abbot in October. That was an ideal prep-run for a race that has long been on his master trainer's radar. Cloudy Glen has solid each-way credentials.

Complete Unknown14:50 Newbury

View Racecard

Jky: Harry Cobden Tnr: Paul Nicholls

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Read these next:

Who wins the Coral Gold Cup? Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the big-race contenders 

Who will win the 2023 Coral Gold Cup at Newbury based on previous trends? 

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