The Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday might still be referred to many as the Hennessy Gold Cup as the long-serving cognac brand had a 60-year association with the race. However, the sponsorship baton was handed over in 2017 to Ladbrokes and they’ve since passed on the naming rights to Coral.
So, here at Bettingsites.co.uk we thought we’d look at the now named Coral Gold Cup in a bit more detail – highlighting the main runners, some key trends and give our Coral Gold Cup Newbury tip for the race.
Paul Nicholls Looks For Fourth Coral Gold Cup Win (As a Trainer)
The best UK betting sites have the Paul Nicholls-trained Complete Unknown in as one of the big fancies and it’s easy to see why. The Ditcheat handler has won this race three times over the years – twice with ‘The Tank’ Denman and also with Strong Flow.
Oh, and did you know he’s also ridden the winner of the race twice too? Yes, Paul Nicholls also rode back-to-back Hennessy Gold Cup winners in 1986 (Broadheath) and 1987 (Playschool).
His main hope this year is the 7 year-old Complete Unknown, who has been propping up the betting with most of the best UK bookmakers in the build up to the race. He was last see winning at Newton Abbot in a Intermediate Chase – beating a fair sort in Might I by a length.
However, prior to that he ran second behind the very useful Gerri Colombe at Aintree in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at their Grand National Meeting. That Gordon Elliott horse is now a leading fancy for the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day and also the Cheltenham Gold Cup next March.
The form looks rock solid and off a mark of 152 and with just 10-11 in weight to carry is sure to have plenty of backers.
Add in the Nicholls horses are going well at the moment and they also have a 24% strike-rate with their chasers at Newbury.
- Back Complete Unknown at 6/1 with BetMGM.
Ahoy Senor To Carry 12st In Coral Gold Cup
Grand National-winning trainer Lucinda Russell has entered her 169-rated chaser Ahoy Senor in Saturday’s Coral Gold Cup too. This 8 year-old will be the top-rated horse in the race, but as a result is the reason he’s got a monster weight of 12st to carry.
The last horse to win with such a burden was the mighty Denman in 2009, when he had 11-12, but the last runner to win the Newbury race with 12st was the classy Burrough Hill Lad way back in 1984. Ahoy Senor has big boots to fill.
Ahoy Senor is a horse with stacks of ability but he doesn’t always show it. He landed the Cotswold Chase on Cheltenham Trials Day last January and the G1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree in 2022.
He also returned this season with a poor wun in the Charlie Hall Chase – eventually being pulled up. Overall, there are more questions than answers with Ahoy Senor, while carry 12st is a further negative.
- Back Ahoy Senor at 12/1 with BetMGM
Last Year’s Winning Trainer Dan Skelton Back For More
Dan Skelton, the former assistant of Paul Nicholls, broke his Coral Gold Cup duck in this race last year with Le Milos winning and will be trying to follow-up with Midnight River.
This 8 year-old blew away the cobwebs with a fair third in the Charlie Hall Chase last time out when a tad outclassed. Back into a handicap here will suit and with that last run coming off a 203-day break will strip much fitter for it.
Back Midnight River at 10/1 with BetMGM
Monbeg Genius Hoping To Bounce Back
Monbeg Genius ran in the 2023 Ultima Chase at the Cheltenham Festival (3rd) – a race that was won by the eventual Grand National winner Corach Rambler (watch below).
This Jonjo O’Neill-trained 7 year-old was put away after that race for the summer, with connections probably having one eye on protecting his handicap mark. He returned with a poor run at Ascot in the Sodexo Gold Cup at the start of November with some average jumping too.
He’ll need to brush up on that effort but can be expected to have come on for the run and prior to that outing was showing signs of turning into a very promising staying handicap chaser. He gets in with just 10-6 to carry and if you can forgive that last run would make him very dangerous.
Back Monbeg Genius at 6/1 with BetMGM
Nicky Henderson Always Respected With Three Coral Gold Cup Wins
With Coral Gold Cup wins in 2005 with the super-tough Trabolgan, plus Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth and then Triolo D’Alene, then Nicky Henderson always commands respect here.
The Seven Barrows handler tries again – this time with his course winner Dusart, who was last seen being brought down in the Scottish Grand National in April.
He’s a horse that’s had his issues and as a result is very lightly raced still with only six runs over fences. However, he’s still won 50% of those and has been the subject of a bit of support in the betting to suggest the Hendo camp might have seen some old sparkle at home.
Back Dusart at 16/1 with BetMGM
2021 Winner Cloudy Glen Tries To Win Back His Title For The In-Form Venetia Williams
Cloudy Glen won the Coral Gold Cup in 2021 (watch below) at the age of 8 and is back two years later to try and wrestle back his title.
The last horse to do just that was Denman – who won the race in 2007 and then again in 2009.
Cloudy Glen is only rated 3lbs higher than when he won the race in 2021 but does have 6lbs less in actually racing weight to make him interesting. Yes, his age is against him based on the Newbury trends, but we did see a 10 year-old win in 2018 with Sizing Tennessee.
The added plus is the Venetia Williams yard are in great form at the moment and also boast a decent 29% strike-rate with their chasers at Newbury. He rates a nice e/w option in a race we know suits and from a yard in flying form.
Back Cloudy Glen at 20/1 with BetMGM
Newbury Lover Zanza Could Have His Each-Way Backers
The Hobbs and White-trained Zanza needs to bounce back from three poor runs, but he’s a horse that loves Newbury. Yes, he ran flat at the Berkshire track the last twice, however, he’s still won here five times (hurdles and fences) and with a record like that can’t be ignored.
The negative though is he’s looking a bit high in the handicap at the moment (154), with his last win coming off 143, but he did surprise when winning the G2 Denman Chase here last season and on that form would be bang there.
Back Zanza at 16/1 with BetMGM
Coral Gold Cup Newbury Tips: Mahler Mission To Make Irish Trip Worthwhile
The horse that is our Coral Gold Cup Newbury tip though is the Irish-trained MAHLER MISSION.
This John C McConnell runner was in the process of running a massive race in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March until falling late on.
We know he stays well based on that run over 3m6f and with just six runs over fences will have more to come. He’s also a 7 y ear-old and in the last 32 runnings of this race there have been 15 (47%) winners aged 7.
A recent second in a Listed Chase at Carlisle was a solid run over a trip (2m4f) that would have been on the short side. While with that also coming off a 236-day break will be much better for it and gets in here with only 10-10 to carry.
Back Mahler Mission at 6/1 with BetMGM
BettingSites Coral Gold Cup 1-2-3
- MAHLER MISSION
- COMPLETE UNKNOWN
- CLOUDY GLEN
When Is The Coral Gold Cup 2023?
📅Date: Saturday 2nd December 2023
🕙Time: 3:50pm
🏇Racecourse: Newbury
💰 Winner: £142,375
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV
Coral Gold Cup Trends To Look For
- 19/21 – Won between 2-5 races (chase)
- 19/21 – Won a chase race over at 3m+
- 19/21 – Aged 8 or younger
- 17/21 – 12/1 or shorter in the betting
- 15/21 – Placed in the first 3 last time out
- 14/21 – Had raced that season
- 14/21 – Rated between 140 and 151
- 14/21 – 10-13 or more in weight
- 14/21 – Raced at Newbury before (9 had won over fences there)
- 7/21 – Favourites (1 joint)
- 3/21 – Won by Paul Nicholls stable
- 3/21 – Won by Nicky Henderson stable (2 of last 11)
- Since 1968 just one winner aged in double-figures (1981 Diamond Edge, 10)
- Since 1990 (32 runnings) – 15 winners (47%) aged 7 years-old
Coral Gold Cup Betting Odds
See below the latest betting odds for Saturday’s Coral Gold Cup, with the odds supplied by BetMGM.
- Mahler Mission 6/1
- Monbeg Genius 6/1
- Complete Unknown 7/1
- Stumptown 8/1
- Midnight River 10/1
- Ahoy Senor 12/1
- Remastered 12/1
- Stolen Silver 12/1
- Our Power 14/1
- Bill Baxter 16/1
- Dusart 16/1
- Kitty’s Light 16/1
- Zanza 16/1
- Twig 18/1
- Cloudy Glen 20/1
- Datsalrighgino 20/1
- Eldorado Allen 20/1
- Ga Law 20/1
- Shakem Up’Arry
- Max Flamingo 50/1
Note: Odds are subject to change and others on request
Coral Gold Cup Winners (Last 10 Years)
- 2022 – LE MILOS (9/2 fav)
- 2021 – CLOUDY GLEN (33/1)
- 2020 – CLOTH CAP (9/1)
- 2019 – DE RASHER COUNTER (12/1)
- 2018 – SIZING TENNESSEE (12/1)
- 2017 – TOTAL RECALL (9/2 fav)
- 2016 – NATIVE RIVER (7/2 fav)
- 2015 – SMAD PLACE (7/1)
- 2014 – MANY CLOUDS (8/1)
- 2013 – TRIOLO D’ALENE (20/1)
WATCH: Le Milos Winning The 2022 Coral Gold Cup at Newbury
