37 Remain In Contention For The Coral Gold Cup

A total of 37 horses remain in contention for the Coral Gold Cup following the first scratching stage, with multiple Grade 1 winner Grey Dawning continuing to head the weights for Newbury Racecourse’s flagship Jumps fixture on Saturday 28 November.

Worth £250,000, the prestigious 3m2f Premier Handicap is the centrepiece of the two-day Coral Gold Cup meeting, which gets underway on Friday 27 November. Last year’s memorable winner, the Dan Skelton-trained mare Panic Attack, remains among the entries. The daughter of Canford Cliffs made history last season by completing the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Coral Gold Cup double, however, she would be making her seasonal debut here having missed a planned prep run at Carlisle.

Grey Dawning is top of the weights on 12st. Last seen landing the Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree in the spring, the Dan Skelton-trained nine-year-old also holds an entry to defend his crown in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase crown at Haydock the previous weekend.

Skelton could nevertheless have a strong hand with Il Est Francais, Here Comes Georgie, who impressed on his stable debut at Cheltenham last month, Blueking d’Oroux, Kingston Narcissus and Mr Hope Street also still entered.

The horse currently setting the pace in the ante-post market is Wendigo, who strengthened his claims with a victory in the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle at the start of this month. Trained by Jamie Snowden, he is making his handicap debut and has been left unchanged on a mark of 147 following that success, with sponsors making him the 4-1 favourite.

Another eyecatcher is Miami Magic for trainer Stuart Edmunds. The seven-year-old returned to action with a second-place finish behind Masaccio in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Newbury last week and is set to head back to the Berkshire track, having also recorded a decisive 15-length success there in February.

Haiti Couleurs remains a major contender near the top of the weights, although trainer Rebecca Curtis is reported to be eyeing further Grade 1 glory following his recent breakthrough win at Down Royal. Meanwhile, Myretown, the 2025 Ultima Handicap Chase winner for Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore, is another notable name having got his season off to a positive start at Kelso.

The Irish challenge is led by Gordon Elliott’s Three Card Brag, runner-up in last year’s renewal, and also includes a formidable Willie Mullins contingent featuring Galway Plate winner King Alexander, Ballygunner Castle, Fou de Toi and Road To Home. Ballygunner Castle and Henry de Bromhead’s Downmexicoway finished first and third respectively in this season’s Grade 3 Kerry National.

Paul Nicholls sends forward his Cheltenham Festival winner Caldwell Potter, alongside Quebecois and Regent’s Stroll, while Ben Pauling’s The Jukebox Kid and Jamie Moore and Josh Moore’s Salver, both Grade 2-winning novices last season, are among those looking to make their mark in open company.

The final confirmation stage is by noon on Monday 23 November, followed by declarations on Thursday 26 November.

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