At the time of writing, action at Newbury is in doubt over an impending surge of cold weather ahead of the second day of the Coral Gold Cup Meeting.
Despite this, there are a few horses I want to keep on my side on Saturday and if frozen ground does scupper any chances of racing, there’s no harm done from a betting perspective.
✅ KANDOO KID stays on well to the line to win for @BestOfBetsUK readers at 7/2.
Impressed by his staying power over a trip that is on the sharp side for him.
One more left to run 👇#HorseRacing
pic.twitter.com/F3hc165KNa https://t.co/7zfVaEczt9
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) December 1, 2023
After yesterday’s profitable day, hopefully racing does go ahead tomorrow because if it does, here are my main fancies.
11:55 Newbury – Manimole @ 2/1 with William Hill – 2pt Win
Starting with the first race of the day at Newbury, course winner Manimole looks like a worthy favourite for the Nigel Twiston-Davies team.
🏆 The CSP Mares' Novices' Hurdle Race 🏆
🥇 Manimole
🥈 Telepathique
🥉 Break My SoulA comfortable win for Manimole – under @GavinSheehan92 for @NigelTwistonDav – who eased clear in the closing stages 👍 pic.twitter.com/pQFQJ8rU2J
— Newbury Racecourse (@NewburyRacing) November 9, 2023
The six-year-old by Sulamani put in a career-best effort at the track earlier this month to win by 15 lengths.
Although this was surprising, trainer Twiston-Davies described the performance as “unbelievable” and her as a “proper horse”.
🔎 Two standout Newbury performances today:
– "He was in a different gear and, I've got to say, a different league!"
– "He jumped very nicely and was slick when he needed to be."
– "It was unbelievable – she's a proper horse!"Read more @GlosLiveOnline 👇https://t.co/RNKzTEWilg
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) November 9, 2023
Due to the victory, she carries a three-pound penalty against her rivals, though there isn’t much in the race that scares me apart from Mighty Moth who finished third to Jango Baie and Tellherthename at Ascot last-time-out.
Although that form looks useful on paper, she was 13 lengths behind the runaway pair and could be slightly flattered for it.
So, with this in mind, Manimole is my idea of the likely winner.
1:40 Newbury – Off To A Flyer @ 15/2 with BoyleSports – 1pt EW
Admittedly, Jet Powered could be chucked in for the Coral Racing Club Handicap Hurdle, but there’s no getting away from Off To A Flyer in my eyes at 8/1.
The six-year-old is improving for Joe Tizzard and blew the cobwebs off at Cheltenham just over two weeks ago.
Before that, he finished last season with a nice win at Ayr over three miles and both the second, Aramax, and third, Quick Draw, have improved by 15 and eight pounds respectively.
Off To A Flyer sprouts wings in the 3m½f handicap hurdle @ayrracecourse 🏇
The 9-2f was pulled up in Graded company @Sandownpark last time but was much to good over this longer trip.@TizzardRacing | @brendanp1995 pic.twitter.com/bXEBhBZ5Aq
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 21, 2023
Furthermore, the gelding by Shirocco ran well when collared late-on by The Carpenter at Exeter in February; the winner has since won two more races and is now rated 134.
With the hope that Tizzard has him 100% ready for a race worth £40,000, he looks well-handicapped and conditions should suit.
2:15 Newbury – Under Control @ 13/8 with William Hill – 3pt Win
For people who have followed my posts on X in recent weeks, you’ll know that Under Control for the Gerry Feilden Handicap Hurdle has been a long-term hope of mine.
The form of her last race at Sandown is working out very well as the second, Iberico Lord, won the Greatwood Hurdle two weeks ago, the third, Arqoob, won at Sandown earlier this month and the fourth, General Medrano, has won twice over fences and improved his rating by 17 pounds.
Under Control puts up a gutsy run to win the bet365 Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle under @NdeBoinville . 🥇#ITVRacing | @Sandownpark | @sevenbarrows pic.twitter.com/DDxbuJQkmA
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 29, 2023
As form goes, there isn’t much better than that and Nicky Henderson has had this race in mind for a long time.
Furthermore, the boss of Seven Barrows has a long and illustrious history with the Gerry Feilden having first won the race in 1999 with Bacchanal
Since that success, Seven Barrows has produced eight further winners including Epatante in 2019 before her Champion Hurdle success two starts later.
Henderson has always thought plenty of Under Control and despite a racing weight of 11-13, a lot suggests she should win this race.
2:50 Newbury – Ga Law @ 25/1 with BetVictor – 1pt EW
Finally, with the abandonment of Newcastle’s card on Saturday, all roads lead to the Coral Gold Cup for Jamie Snowden’s Ga Law to take his chance at Newbury.
Although he failed to complete in the Grade 1 Alder Hey Aintree Bowl Chase at Aintree, last season’s Paddy Power Gold Cup winner is still unexposed at over extended distances having looked a likely winner before falling in the Sky Bet Handicap Chase in January.
Ga Law gets up to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup
It was going so well for French Dynamite#ITVRacing pic.twitter.com/gWn0d9ADCB
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) November 12, 2022
His Aintree disappointment came less than a month after he finished a staying-on fifth in the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival behind Envoi Allen, Shishkin, Hitman, and French Dynamite.
Prior to that, Snowden briefly mentioned about the Grand National for his improving seven-year-old, so connections seem to think he has a big engine over staying trips.
In what is a compact handicap, Ga Law is a classy horse and could continue to progress in a race like this especially with a run under his belt for race fitness.
