Hi all,
In today's main piece, I reflect on the weekend's action at Newbury.
No doubt about it, right? Well, it caught me of guard, and I gotta say, it was a nice surprise to see Newbury getting the green light to race after Saturday's morning inspection.
Huge shoutout to the Newbury Clerk of the Course and the fantastic staff for pulling off an amazing job to make sure the racing went ahead on Saturday.
Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup is one of the prestigious handicap chases run during the jumps season. With a field of twenty runners, losing the race would've been a major disappointment.
It had been good to soft for Newbury’s Friday card. However, it looked it had tightened up a bit further on Saturday and was closer to good certainly on the hurdles course.
The mist rolled in making viewing difficult from the stands. Indeed, it wouldn’t have been much better for tv viewers either but for the use of the car cam. The car cam is never ideal but without it the Coral Cup would have been a non-event.
Coral Gold Cup: Datsalrightgino Surges from Rear to Victory, Mahler Mission's Brave Bid, and Complete Unknown Falters in Coral Gold Cup
The race was run at good gallop from the off. Datsalrightgino was in the rear and was in the last group, if not last, going out on the second circuit. Its never easy to win from the rear here but the 7-year-old crept through the field to challenge Mahler Mission two out. Taking up after the last he found plenty to win by 3 ¾ lengths.
Mahler Mission travelled powerfully through the race and looked like the most likely winner coming to the second last. He lost two front shoes which probably didn’t help his cause at the finish and it was a grand effort in defeat.
The drying helped the winner and didn’t suit the likes of favourite Complete Unknown and Bill Baxter. The favourite also didn’t seem suited to the ‘hustle n bustle’ of a big field handicap chase on this occasion. It’s to early to give up on Bill Baxter who needs softer ground.
Back in third was Monbeg Genius. It was another cracking performance in a big field handicap chase from the 7-year-old. He seemed to get outpaced two out but stayed on to take third albeit well behind the front two. He’s another who would have preferred softer underfoot conditions.
Shakem Up'Arry ran well for a long way before his stamina ran out from two out. He can a win a nice handicap dropped back in trip.
Ga Law, stablemate of the winner, posted a back to form effort in 7th. He was another who didn’t stay and has a win in him dropped in distance.
Midnight River seemed to be going well enough when falling the 14th. Provided his confidence isn’t affected there will be other days for him.
Coral Cup Review Verdict:
A well run, big field handicap chase which would have made for an even better spectacle but for the mist. We had a worthy winner in Datsalrightgino, and runner-up Mahler Mission was unlucky to come up against him given he was comfortably clear of the rest. I think the race will prove strong form and produce plenty of future winners.
I told Victor Value subscribers that Datsalrightgino was a dark horse in the race if staying 3m 2f and so it proved. Unfortunately, I didn’t put him up as a selection which is all that matters in the tipster game. Oh, and the winner and third where one of the six qualifiers using the trends, I identified in Thursday’s race preview.
I will look at the Fairyhouse highlights in Tuesday’s column along with this week’s horses for the tracker.
Newbury’s Friday highlights:
Apart from the Coral Cup the main highlights from Newbury two day meeting came on Friday.
Jeriko Du Reponet cruised to victory on hurdle debut in the maiden hurdle that opened Friday’s card. He won as 4/11 favourite should and looks a high class novice hurdle prospect. However, the bookies typically overreacted to his easy win by cutting to as short as 6/1 for the Supreme at the Cheltenham Festival. Don’t get me wrong he looks a smart recruit to the novice hurdling ranks, but he only beat a moderate bunch of maidens. If it wasn’t for his reputation and connections, he would be more like 14/1 for the Cheltenham race.
High class novice hurdler Hermes Allen made a winning chase debut in the Grade 2 Coral John Francome Novices' Chase. It was an excellent start to his career over the larger obstacles and he’ll likely end up being one of the best British trained novices.
Two veterans Dashel Drasher and Paisley Park produced a thrilling finish to the Grade 2 Coral Long Distance Hurdle. It was the former who prevailed by a head. Paisley Park was conceding 6lb to the winner, so it was a commendable effort on his return to action. He showed there’s still fire in his belly and Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle now beckons and it’s a race Paisley Park has won three times previously.
Monday Preview and Selection
Plumpton and Wolverhampton provide Monday’s sport.
Plumpton
3:15 – Oscarman’s sole career success came over C&D in December 2019. He returned from a 728 day absence last season. Shaping on a couple of occasions like he had retained plenty of ability. Seasonal reappearance in the BetGoodwin and has no great record fresh but he’s down to a competitive mark and Elizabeth Gale takes off a handy 7lb. He might need the run but the 25/1 available with William Hill is worth taking to very small stakes. Just eight have been declared for the race so if you go each way you can almost guarantee that there will be one non-runner.
3:15 – Oscarsman – 25/1 @ William Hill.
Good luck with your Monday bets.
John