There’s a superb renewal of the Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury this weekend and our in-house tipster Steve Chambers previews the 2m 3f 187y contest and picks out his 1-2-3 for what looks a really tough assignment for punters…
KANDOO KID
(Harry Cobden/Paul Nicholls)
Paul Nicholls has a stunning record in this race having saddled the winner on nine separate occasions and the Ditcheat handler will look to make it a perfect ten this week and will saddle the hugely progressive Kandoo Kid, who will have the burden of top weight. Only seen once this season, the nine-year-old was a fine one-and-three-quarter length winner of the Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury, and he returns to the Berkshire venue on Saturday to try and taste more success. Already earmarked as one of Nicholls’ key representatives in the Grand National in April, Kandoo Kid will be using this as a stepping stone and having been given a 7lbs rise for that win back in November he will also drop significantly in trip, so has his work cut out here.
BILLYTHEREALBIGRED
(Toby Wynne/Oliver Greenall/Josh Guerriero)
Hugely progressive over fences this season, Billytherealbigred is looking to become the first five-year-old in the history of the race to claim victory. Wins at Bangor and Exeter saw him sent off a short-priced favourite in a competitive Cheltenham handicap, but he was denied by Jagwar that day. The Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero-trained youngster has been given a 3lbs rise for that runner-up finish, so will have a career high mark to contend with at 134, but he looks more than capable of continuing on an upward curve. This trip should prove ideal for him and he has to be etched into the shortlist and has to be one of the ones to beat.
LE MILOS
(Harry Atkins/Dan Skelton)
With Harry Skelton riding Grey Dawning at Kelso on Saturday it gives a golden opportunity to 7lbs claimer Harry Atkins to get a big ride in a valuable race and he will be on board former Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase winner Le Milos for Dan Skelton. Having struggled to build on that iconic win back in 2022 at Newbury, Le Milos recaptured the winning thread at Warwick in a veterans event, and he’s now handed the task back out of that sphere here and will look to build on that confidence-boosting success. A 4lbs rise is more than fair, but he will need to kick on from that win against more attractively handicapped rivals here.
REST OF THE FIELD
It’s unknown whether Grand National fancy Iroko will take his chance here or in the Premier Chase at Kelso, but if the aforementioned training duo of Greenall and Guerriero opt for this contest then he has to be given the utmost respect. Joe Tizzard’s Scarface has been knocking on the door of late and running well in defeat and has to be considered, while the Sam Thomas-trained Vincenzo is another in great form having won two of his last three races. One that could outrun his lofty odds is Midnight River, who will add more depth to the Skelton charge and he’s now dropped to 145, which was a mark he won off at Cheltenham a few seasons ago. Also a winner off 151, the 10-year-old has to be given a squeak if he can unearth his best form. Saint Segal‘s jumping can often been his downfall, but is of interest, while 2022 winner Paint The Dream is back to try and win the race for a second time.
VERDICT
A really competitive renewal, Kandoo Kid is arguably the best horse in the race, but with one eye on Aintree and over a shorter trip he could just find a couple too good and the first of those is MIDNIGHT RIVER, who has the class to win this race and at double-figured odds could be the value play. Billytherealbigred has been a revelation this season and he could well continue his improvement and chase home the Skelton charge, with Kandoo Kid staying on for third place.
2025 Greatwood Gold Cup Predicted 1-2-3
- Midnight River
- Billytherealbigred
- Kandoo Kid
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