The Weekend Winners panel looked ahead to a big Saturday of racing at Newbury and Newcastle, focusing on the competitive 24-runner Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury, broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing at 2.55pm. Myretown, last season’s Ultima Handicap winner at Cheltenham, heads the market, with Resplendent Grey, The Changing Man and Hyland also attracting support.
Sam Boswell opted for an each-way punt on Hobbs and White’s Lowry’s Bar, around 25/1. He acknowledged two clear concerns — the absence of a recent run and a previous bleed when pulled up — but felt connections were happy to run him fresh. Boswell believes wetter ground would play to Lowry’s Bar’s strengths, that the trip suits, and that the race’s likely pace could bring him into play. He’s wary of high-weighted types like Resplendent Grey despite admiring him, and thinks the favourite has been perhaps overhyped since Cheltenham.
Declan Rix described the renewal as “mental” and highly competitive. He highlighted Myretown’s significant rise in the weights after Cheltenham and said Resplendent Grey would be his pick if he were market leader. Rix was disappointed with Hyland’s recent jumping and labelled The Changing Man as a horse that often finishes second; he also notes Panic Attack is stepping up in trip. His own selection is Three Card Brag, a horse he admits doesn’t fit the usual trends but whose recent front-running win at Cheltenham has boosted his appeal. That Cheltenham form came on good ground, which surprised Rix given Three Card Brag’s history as a mud lover, but he felt the performance suggested the horse may have improved. Off 155 the task is tough — only a couple have won carrying that mark in the past decade — yet Rix thinks Three Card Brag could place or run well at the prices, especially if rain arrives.
Kate Tracey made the straightforward call for Myretown. She backed his Ultima victory as a deserved display and stressed how lightly exposed he still is compared with many rivals. Tracey praised his straightforward style, jumping and ability to race prominently, saying his profile suits the attritional nature of this large-field staying chase. She sees him as the standout, with the attributes to sustain a strong pace and see out the trip.
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