Horse Power: Victtorino for victory in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury

VICTTORINO can win the Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (3pm) at Newbury on Saturday afternoon. Venetia Williams’ six-year-old remains a progressive chaser and stepped up to this 3m1½f is capable of landing the feature at the Berkshire track.

Grand National-winning trainer Williams has her string in good form at present and won last Saturday’s big staying chase with Royale Pagaille’s back-to-back success in the Grade One Betfair Chase at Haydock Park. And Victtorino may give her another victory in the prestigious staying handicap at Newbury. Victtorino has only had five chase starts for Williams and remains open to lots more improvement. The French import won a couple of contests in his homeland before the switch to Williams’ Herefordshire base in March of last year. Having been fifth over hurdles at Exeter soon after joining, he made the smooth transition back over the bigger obstacles when scoring Sodexo Live! Gold Chou Handicap Chase over three miles at Ascot last November.

Victtorino followed up back over course and distance at Ascot in the Howden Silver Cup the following month, beating subsequent Haydock Grand National Trial hero Yeah Man. He came through to lead and jumped well to stay on for a fine success. Things didn’t go to plan afterwards and he was seventh at Cheltenham and fourth back at Ascot before being pulled up in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He hasn’t run since then, but Williams showed with Royale Pagaille at Haydock last weekend that she can get horses back to fire off a longish break. Victtorino looks set to take the next step up the chasing ladder and strike Gold at Newbury. Others in with a chance of victory in the former Hennessy Gold Cup are Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Broadway Boy; the Paul Nicholls-trained Kandoo Kid; and Iron Bridge – from the Jonjo and AJ O’Neill stable.

NO ORDINARY JOE can win the Coral Racing Club Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (1.50pm). Nicky Henderson’s eight-year-old has not win since scoring over two miles at Kempton in December 2022 and he was pulled up on his only try at chasing at this Newbury track at this time last year. But No Ordinary Joe is back down to just a 1lb higher in the handicap than when a fine second in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle over 2m4½f at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival. He hasn’t run since finishing seventh in the same contest at Prestbury Park in March. But with that break, he may be able to return to winning ways on his seasonal appearance in this 2m4f contest.

Nicholls’ LIARI can win the ‘Bet In Race’ With Coral Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (Registered As The Gerry Feilden) (Premier Handicap) (2.25pm). The four-year-old won his first three starts – at Wincanton, Aintree and Musselburgh last season – for Nicholls having switched from Jean-Claude Rouget’s French stable. He made a pleasing return when third at Chepstow last month. And with that run under his belt he can resume winning ways in Berkshire.

Ditcheat stable-mate TWINJETS can also triumph in the Coral Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (12.40pm). The seven-year-old won a three-mile chase at Doncaster on his first start for Nicholls over Christmas last year. He was then a decent second to Masaccio over 2m4f at Newbury last time. Stepped back up in trip to an extended 2m6f he can go one better this time.

IMPERIAL SAINT can land a quickfire hat-trick of victories in the Coral ‘Pipped-At-The-Post’ And Win Handicap Chase (For The Jim Joel Memorial Trophy) (GBB Race) (3.35pm). The Philip Hobbs and Johnson White-trained six-year-old impressed when landing back-to-back victories at Aintree over the past month, taking to chasing superbly. He can bring up the treble with another success at Newbury.

Others who can win at Newbury are two progressive youngsters from the Dan Skelton stable. LISTENTOYOURHEART – a winner of his two starts over obstacles at Market Rasen and over course and distance at Newbury earlier this month – can bring up the hat-trick in the Listed Play Coral ‘Racing-Super-Series’ For Free mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (12.07pm). While unbeaten five-year-old THE NEW LION can make it three wins from three career starts, following his debut hurdle success at Chepstow last month, in the Coral ‘We’re Here For It’ Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (1.15pm).

At Newcastle in the absence of star Henderson stable-mate Constitution Hill, SIR GINO can win the Grade One Betmgm Fighting Fifth Hurdle (GBB Race) (2.45pm). A novice chasing career was mooted for the unbeaten four-year-old but for now he remains over the smaller obstacles and he can make if four wins from four starts since switching to Henderson from France, where he also scored over hurdles at Auteuil. After back-to-back wins at Kempton and Cheltenham on Trials Day in January, Sir Gino – who had been ante-post favourite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle – missed the Festival with the Seven Barrows stable under a cloud. He returned to win the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse to remain unbeaten over obstacles. He can continue that winning run to land a second Grade One success ahead of fellow Aintree scorer, the Willie Mullins-trained Mystical Power.

David Pipe’s NEON MOON can win the Betmgm Rehearsal Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (Gbb Race) (3.20pm).

Jennie Candlish’s SKYJACK HIJACK – a winner of five in a row including at Aintree, Newcastle and Exeter over the last five months – should make it six in the Weatherbys Nhstallions.Co.UK ‘The French Furze’ Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (1.03pm).

Others who triumph at Gosforth Park are Ben Haslam’s ILIKEDWAYURTHINKIN in the Betmgm Handicap Chase (1.35pm); and the Lucinda Russell-trained duo STEP ABOVE and JEUNE PRINCE in the Betmgm EBF “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle (Qualifier) (GBB Race) (2.45pm) and the Living North Handicap Chase (12.28pm) respectively.

At Doncaster Tom Lacey’s RED NIKA can win the Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap Chase (2.37pm).

Wright Ones

NEWBURY

12.07pm Listentoyourheart
12.40pm Twinjets
1.15pm The New Lion
1.50pm No Ordinary Joe
2.25pm Liari
3pm Victtorino (NAP)
3.35pm Imperial Saint

NEWCASTLE

11.53am Lavender Hill Mob
12.28pm Step Above
1.03pm Skyjack Hijack
1.35pm Ilikedwayurthinkin
2.10pm Sir Gino
2.45pm Jeune Prince
3.20pm Neon Moon

DONCASTER

11.42am No Questions Asked
12.17pm Presenting Pete
12.52pm Bluey
1.27pm Rightsotom
2.02pm Camarrate
2.37pm Red Nika
3.12pm Rose’s Dart

FAIRYHOUSE

11.35am Impaire Et Passe
12.12pm General Hubble
12.45pm American Mike
1.20pm Ballybow
1.55pm Anzadam
2.30pm Stormbreaker
3.05pm Tonaghneave Well
3.40pm Mojoe

SUNDAY'S NAP: Red Dirt Road (2.30pm Carlisle)