The favourites, the markets and big names set for the Paddy Power, Greatwood and Coral Gold Cup - plus an ante-post tip

The jumps season is beginning to hot up and three of the biggest handicaps of the campaign, the Paddy Power Gold Cup, Unibet Greatwood Hurdle and Coral Gold Cup, are now just around the corner.

We've delved into the fields for these competitive events assessing how they weigh up at this stage, while ante-post expert Nicholas Watts is also on hand with a value play in the Coral Gold Cup.

Paddy Power Gold Cup

2m4f, Cheltenham, November 18

Who is the favourite?

Turners Novices' Chase winner Stage Star heads the betting for this year's race on what will be his first start since finishing last of five runners in the Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree's Grand National Festival, for which he was sent off the 6-4 favourite. The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old has career form figures of 1211112 when running between October and December and is likely to receive plenty of support from the Owners Group syndicate.

Stage Star: ante-post favourite for the Paddy Power Gold CupCredit: GROSSICK RACING

Who else might run?

Two of Cheltenham Festival's Grade 1-winning novice chasers are on course for a fascinating clash with Brown Advisory victor The Real Whacker also entered for the Paddy Power. Stage Star's stablemate Il Ridoto could attempt to better his fourth-place showing from last year, when beaten five lengths by Ga Law. Gavin Cromwell sent out three winners at Cheltenham's October meeting and could be represented by Final Orders. He racked up a five-timer over fences last season and was twice a winner at Bellewstown in the summer. Gordon Elliott is yet to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup but could right that wrong with Chemical Energy, who chased home Gaillard Du Mesnil in the National Hunt Chase at last season's festival.

How the market looks

Paddy Power: 5 Stage Star, 7 Unexpected Party, 8 The Real Whacker, Notlongtillmay, 9 Fugitif, 12 Al Dancer, 14 Il Ridoto, Final Orders, Galia Des Liteaux, 16 Angels Breath, Authorized Art, My Drogo, Shakem'up Arry, Whistleinthedark, 20 bar

Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle

2m½f, Cheltenham, November 19

Who is the favourite?

A former Group 2-placed stayer for Andre Fabre, Nemean Lion enjoyed a fruitful novice hurdle campaign last season where he was placed in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle before going on to claim a Grade 2 at Kelso. He reappeared with a hard-fought success in last month's Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las, after which the Greatwood was nominated as his next target. The 5lb rise received for that win looks manageable, and he is proven on testing ground so any rain in the build-up to next weekend will do his chances no harm.

Who else might run?

Last year's Greatwood runner-up Gin Coco could take his chance again. Harry Fry's seven-year-old chased home the ill-fated I Like To Move It in last year's running and has been seen only the twice since, finishing midfield in the County Hurdle at the festival before finishing fifth to Nemean Lion in the Welsh Champion Hurdle. A Grade 2 novice hurdle winner at the October meeting, Lookaway could make his handicap debut in the Greatwood. Dan and Harry Skelton teamed up to land this race with North Hill Harvey in 2016 and West Cork in 2021 and could be represented by Knickerbockerglory this year. The Chelsea Thoroughbreds-owned gelding posted a career-best Racing Post Rating when scoring at Ascot on Saturday.

How the market looks

Sky Bet: 7 Nemean Lion, 10 Anyharminasking, Blueking D'Oroux, Knickerbockerglory, 11 Gin Coco, Under Control, 12 Hansard, Iberico Lord, Lookaway, Luccia, 14 Pembroke, Punctuation, Onlyamatteroftime, Magical Zoe, Sonigino, 16 Byker, L'Eau de Sud, Black Poppy, Too Friendly, First Street, Afadil, Petit Tonnerre, Ovastle Des Mottes, 20 bar

Coral Gold Cup

3m2f, Newbury, December 2

Who is the favourite?

Monbeg Genius was a progressive novice chaser last season winning at Newcastle and Chepstow (twice) before a respectable third in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the festival. That form has received significant boosts since courtesy of the winner, Corach Rambler, who went on to land the Grand National, and the second, Fastorslow, who won the Grade 1 Punchestown Gold Cup next time out. Monbeg Genius made his seasonal debut at Ascot on Saturday, where he was still in contention before making a race-ending blunder five out.

Monbeg Genius (right): form of his Ultima third is strongCredit: John Grossick

Who else might run?

The Paul Nicholls-trained Complete Unknown has finished in the first three in 11 of his 12 starts for the stable and enjoyed a fruitful novice chase campaign last season, where he gained handicap wins at Ffos Las and Kempton before chasing home Gerri Colombe in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree. Complete Unknown kicked off this season with an odds-on victory at Newton Abbot. John McConnell's Mahler Mission was in the lead when falling at the second-last fence in the National Hunt Chase at the festival this year and made an encouraging seasonal reappearance at Carlisle on Sunday over a trip short of his best.

How the market looks

Ladbrokes: 7 Monbeg Genius, 10 Complete Unknown, Mahler Mission, 12 Midnight River, 14 Stumptown, Our Power, Remastered, Stolen Silver, City Chief, 16 Galia Des Liteaux, Datsalrightgino, Latitude, 20 bar

Ante-post tip: '12-1 is a reasonable price'

Midnight River
Coral Gold Cup, December 2
12-1 with bet365 and Sky Bet

Midnight River15:00 Newbury

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: Dan Skelton

Bet365 and Sky Bet saw fit to push out Midnight River to 12-1 for the Coral Gold Cup after his third in the Charlie Hall Chase, but I'm not sure why as I didn't see much wrong with his third.

The Newbury highlight was nominated as the aim for him as long ago as April, after he successfully stepped up in trip to win a Grade 3 handicap chase at Aintree – the longest trip he has ever faced.

Midnight River: Aintree handicap winner is 12-1 for the Coral Gold CupCredit: Edward Whitaker

He’s a tough stayer who is well versed in these big-field handicaps – he was placed in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last season – and the 12-1 is a reasonable price for last year's winning trainer-and-jockey combination.
Nicholas Watts

This content was first published in Nicholas Watts' expert ante-post advice column 'Ante-Post Angles'. Read more from Nicholas and other Racing Post star writers and analysts every week in The Last Word, featured in every Monday's newspaper and available online from 6pm each Sunday.

Read these next:

Nicky Henderson vows to have Constitution Hill at 100 per cent for Fighting Fifth defence as entries revealed 

He's back! Star chaser Allaho declared to return in Clonmel Oil Chase on Thursday 

Get set for the jumps! Join Members' Club now with 50% off 

The jumps season is coming! Pick up your copy of The Big Jump Off, out now and packed with everything you need for the 2023-24 National Hunt season. Our brilliant 72-page supplement, including ante-post tips, guest columnists, top trainer profiles, divisional analysis and much more, is available to order from the Racing Post shop here.