Weights have today been revealed for The Coral Gold Cup, the £250,000 feature race of Newbury’s National Hunt season, on Saturday 2nd December.

 

Current ante-post favourite at 6/1 with Coral is Jonjo O’Neill’s Monbeg Genius. Last seen finishing third behind Corach Rambler in what has turned out to be a vintage renewal of the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, the seven-year-old is set to make his seasonal reappearance in the coming weeks. The yard last won Newbury’s showpiece in 2020 with Cloth Cap when carrying only 10st under Tom Scudamore, they look to emulate that success with the son of Shantou who will carry a light weight of just 10st 3lb.

Popular staying chaser Kitty’s Light (C.Williams) returned to the track on Sunday in the Jewson Handicap Hurdle at Aintree over 2m4f. The seven-year-old, currently 20/1 with Coral, will also carry only 10st 3lb for this first major target of his season.

Last year’s winning trainer Dan Skelton has five entered in the race. Headed by Protektorat, who despite an allocated weight of 11st 8lb, looks set to be aimed at an attempt to repeat his Betfair Chase success of last year. The yard is likely to be represented by Midnight River who holds an entry in Saturday’s Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby and who would carry a weight of 10st 12lb in the premier handicap at Newbury.

Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up, Bravemansgame (P.Nicholls), has been allotted the top weight of 12st. Not seen since falling in the 2022 King George VI Chase behind eventual winner Bravemansgame, L’Homme Presse (V. Williams) receives second top weight of 11st 12lb closely followed by Cotswold Chase winner Ahoy Senor (L. Russell) who would carry 11st 10lb if declared.

Despite finishing down the field in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree on Sunday, Jamie Snowden has confirmed a step up in trip and Coral Gold Cup target for Datsalrightgino who has an allocated weight of 10st 4lb.

Other notables in the Coral Gold Cup include last year’s runner up Remastered (D. Pipe, 10st 6lb), Native River Handicap Chase winner Stolen Silver (S. Thomas, 10st 13lb), Peter Neville’s stable star The Real Whacker (11st 4lb), Brown Advisory third behind The Real Whacker, Bronn (W. Mullins, 10st 13lb) and recent winner of the 2m5f intermediate chase at Newton Abbot, Complete Unknown (P. Nicholls, 10st 8lb).

The 2023 Coral Gold Cup meeting takes place at Newbury Racecourse from Friday 1st December to Saturday 2nd December. Tickets can be purchased at a reduced rate if bought before 11:59pm on Friday 3rd November.

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Full List of entries and weights in 2023 Coral Gold Cup: