A huge day of racing action is set to unfold at Newbury and Newcastle on Saturday. Here are Matty Sutcliffe’s best value bets, which include a 33/1 shot in the Coral Gold Cup…
1:54 Newbury – Coral ‘Daily Rewards Shaker’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-145) – Issam 8/1 1pt EW 4 places
A forecast strong pace will suit ISSAM, who came from the rear in stylish fashion to record a career best effort at Wincanton in April at this trip in first time cheek-pieces. Tom Symonds’ son of Nicaron was the only one to fare well from off the pace in that contest, with the others racing in rear finishing 5th, 7th and 8th, beaten between 16L-40L. The form of that race has worked out well with the second bolting (Monviel back in second) up six lengths next time out and is now rated 143 over fences, and the fourth was only beaten 1/2L on chase debut last time out posting a career best RPR. The 5th has form figures of 2114 over fences since now rated 14lbs higher, the 6th has also gone in over fence since, and the 7th has taken a 14k C2 here earlier this month.
Issam was progressive prior to that win, and confirmed he had more to give when a staying on fifth in the Welsh Champion Hurdle. He initially lined up prominent, but weakened into midfield after a few sketchy leaps and was tenderly handled throughout once the front two had slipped the field He still clocked the quickest final furlong there, the only one to clock a sub 14sec furlong, and the form’s worked out with the second going up 6lbs last time out after taking a 26k handicap at Haydock last weekend, and the third matching his career best RPR next time out in a competitive 0-140 at Huntingdon.
His form beyond two miles reads 112213121 (2321 at 2m4f) so the step back up in distance will suit, and I’d expect him to come on from that Ffos Las run given he won second up last season.
2:25 Newbury – Coral Racing Club Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (Reg’ As The Gerry Feilden) (Premier Handicap) (GBB) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Aston Martini 12/1 1pt EW 4 places
Nicky Henderson targets this race with his smart mares. Under Control was sent off 9/4F for it last season (though bombed out, finished 2nd in a G2 next time out), Theatre Glory was 4/1 for the race when unseating her rider in 2022 (later finished 4L behind Grey Dawning, won a listed race and fared well in the Champion Hurdle), he won it with Floressa in 2020 and Epatante in 2019, Omessa Has was sent off 5/1 in 2016 though stopped quickly in running.
The fact that Jeriko Du Reponet has been entered here as sort of a backup plan doesn’t exude an awful amount of confidence, and Henderson’s mare ASTON MARTINI might be the one at the prices. The daughter of Getaway will no doubt jump a fence in time, but she’s only a five year old with time on her side and I’d expect her to improve beyond a mark of 123 over hurdles. She was awarded a 20k mares novice hurdle at Lingfield in January on only her second start over hurdles, with the winner (Ooh Betty, re-opposes here) subsequently putting up form figures of 2321 (now rated 123), including a second to Mares’ Novice winner Golden Ace. The 6L third has also franked that form (125 over hurdles), taking the scalp of Mirazur West on chase debut, and the fifth was beaten 4L next time out by Golden Ace print to her Cheltenham success, so although she was somewhat lucky in winning that race, the form has at least stood up.
Like many from her yard, she bombed out in at when 9/2 for a G2 at Sandown in February and was subsequently put away for the year, and returned with a promising effort against the boys in a C2 at Bangor earlier this month. Aston Martini looked the likely winner when hitting the front travelling strongly, but Nico possibly got there too early and certainly wasn’t helped by the mare jinking and nearly unseating him at the last, leaving the door open for Might I.
You could make a case to suggest she didn’t stay the last day, but it was still a career best on RPR’s and she still should’ve won, so this drop back in trip in a race the yard have won four times in the last decade bodes well for her.
David Bass takes a rare ride for his old boss (2-1-0 this year for Henderson), and his aggressive nature should suit this mare who might have a quirk in her judged on that last effort.
3:00 Newbury – Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Sam Brown 33/1 1pt EW 4 places
We already have Broadway Boy at 10/1 in our ante-post column for this race, but I am keen to play one more in case we get ‘GA-Law’d’ and run into second again!
We’ve already seen one veteran tear apart the field in a competitive ‘premier’ handicap this season in Al Dancer off top-weight, and I’ve a sneaky suspicion it may prove wise to chance lightning striking twice with SAM BROWN.
The thinking is, where else can they actually go with him off 154 apart from the Veteran Chases, which don’t exactly pay the type of money a Coral Gold Cup would. This is a woefully weak renewal and he wouldn’t need to improve all that much on his Charlie Hall third to take it.
He went off the boil in the 2022/23 season, with form figures of 35PU5FF, and a further PU5 was added to that at the start of last season, but when he was equipped with a visor he rediscovered that old spark, with form figures reading 145126, and RPR’s of 157,157,156,156,160,154. Those performances included a 9L 4th in the Denman Chase and an excellent 1L 2nd in the G3 Freebooter Handicap Chase at Aintree, giving 13lbs to the progressive runner-up.
Freddie Gingell got a fine tune out of him toward the backend of the season and retains the ride, and he’s effectively a pound lower than his 3L 5th in the G3 Coral Trophy off top-weight in February. His third in the G2 Charlie Hall saw him post his second highest RPR since 2022, finishing a length behind Bravemansgame who was rated 10lbs higher and despite dropping 6lbs 7lbs, still posted the same RPR of 159 when third in the Betfair Chase.
His record in handicaps since the visor went on reads 15126, and if Gingell can get him to travel and jump early on I’d struggle to see him out of the places if replicating his recent form.
3:20 Newcastle – BetMGM Rehearsal Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Blackjack Magic 20/1 1pt EW 4 places
I had to blink twice when finding out Anthony Honeyball had only sent one runner to Newcastle in his entire career thus far, but he’s doubly represented in the Rehearsal Chase with Gustavian and BLACKJACK MAGIC.
The latter was an excellent winner of the Badger Beer chase for us last season and I’m retaining the faith, as I think he has some mileage off this mark of 136. His record on seasonal debut over obstacles reads 121, and he appears a much better horse when fresh. He was in the process of running a big race in the Coral Trophy off 138 last season when falling at the fifth, but still posted a career second best RPR of 142.
While the majority of his runs have come right handed, his record when completing left-handed over obstacles reads 1121. He fared the best of the prominent racers in the Howden Silver Cup when beaten five lengths into 4th (1,2,3 came from rear), and that form worked out well with the second winning the Grand National Trial at Haydock next time out (rated 12lbs higher), and the 6th placing in both the Kim Muir and the Scottish Grand National.
This is a fairly moderate renewal, with the top-weight effectively off 143 (context – 160, 151, 158, 156, 152, 150, 155, 153, 145, 148 were the ratings of the top-weights in the last ten years), and he wouldn’t have to be at his best to win this should he put a bold bid up from the front.
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