Who wins the Coral Gold Cup? Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the big-race contenders
Saturday's Coral Gold Cup at Newbury (2.50) is one of the most prestigious handicap chases of the jumps season, with the honour roll including dual winners Denman and Arkle, Native River and Burrough Hill Lad. Here we assess the claims of the leading contenders for this weekend's running . . .
Complete Unknown
Form 1212-1
Strengths Grade 1 second to Gerri Colombe at Aintree is strong form in context of this race. Open to more improvement over fences after three wins and two seconds from five chase starts. Despite largely competing in small fields in his chase outings, Complete Unknown did win a 10-runner handicap chase at Kempton last season and landed a valuable 17-runner novice handicap hurdle at Sandown the previous campaign.
Weaknesses Suited by cut in the ground but the forecast is predominantly dry up to Saturday. Been beaten on all five starts on ground quicker than soft.
Odds: 7-1f
What they say
Paul Nicholls, trainer (in his Racing Post stable tour): "I like him a lot. He had a breathing operation in July and was nowhere near fully wound up when landing the intermediate chase at Newton Abbot we won with Pic D’Orhy and Bravemansgame. He was straight enough, but he’s always come on for his first run and this season should be the same. That will have put him spot on for the Coral Gold Cup, where we’ll fancy him strongly if it rains – he’s done all his winning on soft or heavy. He did nothing but improve in his first season over fences and it was no disgrace being beaten by Gerri Colombe in the Grade 1 at Aintree."
Mahler Mission
Form 312F-2
Strengths Ended last season with a big run in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, looking the likeliest winner when falling at the second-last. Looked a stout stayer that day so plenty of encouragement to take from his reappearance second over an inadequate 2m4f at Carlisle. Another second-season chaser with more to offer over fences. Beat the ante-post favourite Complete Unknown in a novice hurdle at Perth in April last year.
Weaknesses Races prominently and will likely face competition for the lead albeit this will not be a maximum field. Three of top four Racing Post Ratings have been recorded on soft or soft to heavy ground.
Odds: 7-1f
What they say
John McConnell, trainer: "He physically looks as good as ever and he’s starting to fill out his frame now and hopefully we’ll see a lot of improvement. He ran very well against a top-class horse from the McNeill family over a trip definitely too short for him at Carlisle, so we were very happy."
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Monbeg Genius
Form 1113-P
Strengths Monbeg Genius carries in one of the strongest formlines from last season courtesy of his third in the Ultima behind subsequent Grand national winner Corach Rambler and Fastorslow, who has since beaten Galopin Des Champs twice. He was extremely progressive through the handicap ranks last season, starting off a mark of 124 and ending it rated 147. Aged seven, there should still be plenty of room for further improvement.
Weaknesses His prep run for this did not go well when he was pulled up at Ascot this month. He made a couple of bad jumping errors that day and will need to be much sharper on Saturday.
Odds: 8-1
Jonjo O'Neill, trainer (in his Racing Post stable tour): "He kept improving last season and we fancied him for the Ultima at Cheltenham, where he was third to Corach Rambler and Fastorslow, which is strong form. He made a bad mistake at the wrong stage of the race on his comeback at Ascot and that knocked the wind out of him. He's come back from the race fine and, if the ground is on the easy side in the Coral Gold Cup, he's entitled to go for it. Ascot will bring him on a bit but it's just a pity we didn't get a proper race into him because that was the idea of going there. The long-term aim this season is the Grand National and, if he improves like he did last season, it would be fantastic. He stays well and likes cut in the ground."
Midnight River
Form 3101-3
Strengths Dan Skelton won this race last year with Le Milos and Midnight River had a fine pipe-opener when third behind Gentlemansgame and Bravemansgame in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on his seasonal return. This eight-year-old has more chasing experience, including in big-field handicaps, than his main market rivals. A winner at Cheltenham and Aintree last season and unexposed over 3m2f.
Weaknesses Giving weight away to several second-season chasers who are open to potentially more improvement. Skelton is among the winners but question marks remain over stable form.
Odds: 8-1
What they say
Dan Skelton, trainer (in his Racing Post Stable Tour): "He ran well in the Charlie Hall Chase on his seasonal reappearance and goes for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury. We've had the race in mind since he won at Aintree in the spring and there won't be many excuses."
Stumptown
Form 12P-48
Strengths Form in two starts this season is not compelling but market suggests there is confidence behind his chance. An easy winner of a Sandown handicap chase before finishing a neck second in the Kim Muir at last season's Cheltenham Festival, and if returning to that form, he will be in with a shot off a low weight. Handles variations of ground and trainer Gavin Cromwell has had great success with his British raids this season.
Weaknesses Jumping has let him down on a few occasions, including on his most recent start when eighth in the Kerry National at Listowel. Has potential as a staying chaser but needs to improve on recent efforts.
Odds 9-1
What they say
Gavin Cromwell, trainer: "He's going to go and hopefully Ahoy Senor will run and keep the weights as they are. His jumping has let him down a bit and those fences in Listowel can do that with a horse as they can get sucked into the bottom of them. The British fences probably suit him a bit better. He was running a good race in Listowel until making a mistake at four-out and he still wasn't beaten terribly far. He's in great nick, I'm happy with him."
Who else is in contention?
Ahoy Senor will need to brush up his jumping if he is to carry top weight to victory, a feat no Coral Gold Cup contender has managed since Denman triumphed in 2007 and 2009 – which tells you all you need to know about the calibre of horse needed to win while shouldering 12st. Course winner Our Power won two valuable 3m handicaps last season and will have benefited for a pipe-opener over hurdles. Topham scorer Bill Baxter was one place behind Mahler Mission at Carlisle and is a stone better off at the weights here. Kitty's Light landed the Eider Chase, Scottish National and bet365 Gold Cup last season and will be suited by the ground not being too testing on the back of two runs over hurdles.
Coral Gold Cup, Saturday (2.50 Newbury)
Coral: 7 Complete Unknown, Mahler Mission, 8 Midnight River, Monbeg Genius, 9 Stumptown, 12 Our Power, Remastered, 14 Sail Away, Stolen Silver, 16 Ahoy Senor, Bill Baxter, Kitty’s Light, 20 Cloudy Glen, Datsalrightgino, Dusart, Eldorado Allen, Ga Law, Shakem Up’Arry, Zanza, 25 Beauport, Twig, 40 Max Flamingo, 50 Lord Accord
Early Coral Gold Cup tip
By Matt Rennie, The Punt tipster
Mahler Mission looked set to win National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival In March before falling two fences out. He returned with an eyecatching second in the Colin Parker at Carlisle this month over an inadequate trip, and races off a very workable mark of 151. He should thrive over the 3m2f trip.
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