Newbury’s Saturday highlight sees 16 runners line up to try to claim the Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase.

Race info:

• Discipline: Chase
• Level: Grade 3
• Distance: 2m4f
• Age: 5yo+

Grade 3 Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase runners

Grand National hopefuls Iroko, and Kandoo Kid line up here as they up their prep for the big day in April, but how forward will they be today?

Get the best odds for the Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase from the best horse racing betting sites.

10 Billytherealbigred

• Age: 5
• Weight: 10st 8lb
• Form: 1F-112
• Rating: 134
• Jockey: Tiby Wynne
• Trainer: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
• Odds: 9/2

Newbury is a track that favours front runners that jump well, and Billytherealbigred fits the bill here for that type of runner.

He was last seen being turned over at odds of 9/5 at Cheltenham when chasing home Cheltenham Festival hopeful and handicap blot Jagwar. He has only been hit with a 3lb rise in the weights, which looks fair.

If getting into a rhythm on the front end, they may have to go some to peg Billytherealbigred back.

Jumps well on the lead
Relishes this trip

Can hang

Star rating:

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2 Iroko

• Age: 7
• Weight: 12st 0lb
• Form: 52-2F4
• Rating: 152
• Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill
• Trainer: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
• Odds: 11/2

Iroko caught the stewards’ attention last time out at Cheltenham, and it’s clear why. He has been targeted for the Grand National all year, and now that the weights are out, don’t be shocked if he is bang there at the end, even off 12st.

He does hold another engagement in Kelso today, which may be the option they choose rather than running here.

Grand National weights have been released

Has to carry top weight
His main target is Aintree

Star rating:

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1 Kandoo Kid

• Age: 9
• Weight: 12st 0lb
• Form: 2P23-1
• Rating: 152
• Jockey: Harry Cobden
• Trainer: Paul Nicholls
• Odds: 6/1

Last seen winning the Coral Gold Cup, Kandoo Kid will be another runner stepping up in his Grand National preparation today.

He’s back down to a trip at which he has winning form, but with his main target being April, it’s hard to see Harry Cobden giving Kandoo Kid a hard race here today.

Course winner

Has to carry top weight
His main target is Aintree

Star rating:

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8 Vincenzo

• Age: 7
• Weight: 10st 10lb
• Form: -36121
• Rating: 134
• Jockey: Dylan Johnston (3)
• Trainer: Sam Thomas
• Odds: 8/1

A winner of two of his last three runs over fences, Vincenzo has a lot going for him today.

His win at Sandown showcased his improvement as he pulled away in the latter stage to win by over three lengths going away.

He gets in off a nice racing weight here, and with only a 5lb rise for that win, this prominent racer is worth another go over this trip and is a danger to all.

Fast improver
Races on the pace

This trip has stretched him in the past

Star rating:

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4 Le Milos

• Age: 10
• Weight: 11st 5lb
• Form: 7-5431
• Rating: 143
• Jockey: Harry Atkins (7)
• Trainer: Dan Skelton
• Odds: 9/1

Le Milos recorded his first win since taking the Ladbrokes Gold Cup on this track back in 2022 when taking a Verterans’ chase at Warwick last month, and you would be brave to think that this ten-year-old will be able to back that win up outside of Veterans’ Chase company.

The percentage call is to avoid him.

Back to winning ways last time out

Not as good as he once was

Star rating:

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5 Saint Segal

• Age: 7
• Weight: 11st 1lb
• Form: -47512
• Rating: 139
• Jockey: David Noonan
• Trainer: Jane Williams
• Odds: 10/1

The best thing David Noonan has done on Saint Segal is letting him stride on in the lead. They have tried holding this headstrong gelding up, but he used to over-race and plough through some of his fences.

He still tends to leave his mark in a fence, but now that he is more relaxed on the front end, he seems to get away with it.

There will be a bit of competition for the lead here, which may work in his favour and settle him even more. Now that he has become more tractable, there is every reason to believe that Saint Segal, a former course and distance winner, can play a leading role here.

Has become more tractable
Course and distance winner

Could get lit up if taken on

Star rating:

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12 Scarface

• Age: 8
• Weight: 10st 5lb
• Form: -54224
• Rating: 129
• Jockey: Brendan Powell
• Trainer: Joe Tizzard
• Odds: 10/1

Scarface has been running consistently well this season, and even with two second-place finishes, he hasn’t threatened to win.

This looks like it will be a similar scenario for the Joe Tizzard-trained gelding. He will run well but will likely find a few too good.

But, he is not without an each-way chance.

Has become running consistently well this season

Will likely find a few too good

Star rating:

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9 Kotmask

• Age: 7
• Weight: 10st 8lb
• Form: 4-3216
• Rating: 132
• Jockey: Caolin Quinn
• Trainer: Gary & Josh Moore
• Odds: 16/1

Having gotten the better of Scarface at Ascot in December, Kotmask was sent off a well-backed 4/1 favourite for the bet265 Handicap Chase back at the same track, but he was hampered by a faller at the first and was on the back foot from there on out.

He races away from Ascot for the first time this season, and this is also his first visit to Newbury. Even though he does have wins at Plumpton, which is left-handed, you are hoping that he is just as good at Newbury as he will need to be to get seriously involved today.

Has been running well all season
Only 2lb higher than his last win

Best form is racing right-handed

Star rating:

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3 Midnight River

• Age: 10
• Weight: 11st 7lb
• Form: 3F-305
• Rating: 145
• Jockey: Ciaran Gethings
• Trainer: Dan Skelton
• Odds: 16/1

This former high-level handicap chaser has looked like a shell of his former self this season.

He is 8 lbs lower than when he started the season, but he looks seriously out of form. To even consider him a betting proposition, you would have needed to have seen a lot more from him this season.

His day may come in a veteran’s chase down the line.

Has old form to make him competitive

Has looked a shell of his former self this season

Star rating:

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7 Paint The Dream

• Age: 11
• Weight: 10st 11lb
• Form: 33/877
• Rating: 135
• Jockey: Connor Brace
• Trainer: David Brace
• Odds: 16/1

The last time Paint The Dream ran over this course and distance, he was a 14-length winner.

He returned from a mammoth 650 days on the sidelines this season, and age may be catching up with him after three heavy defeats. But, the silver lining is that he is looking very well handicapped now, and if the return to Newbury sparks a revival, Paint The Dream is one that will benefit from a strong pace up top.

He’s an interesting player, given that he looks well handicapped to do very well on a course that produced a career-best.

Very well handicapped on his course and distance win

Age may be catching up with him

Star rating:

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11 Beau Balko

• Age: 7
• Weight: 10st 5lb
• Form: -31222
• Rating: 129
• Jockey: Ben Bromley (5)
• Trainer: Paul Nicholls
• Odds: 20/1

Beau Balko has been running well this season, with one win and three second-place finishes to his name.

This marks a step up in grade for him today, and even with Ben Bromley taking off 5lb, it’s hard to see him being good enough to claim victory today.

Has been holding his form well

May find this race too hot

Star rating:

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16 Booster Bob

• Age: 7
• Weight: 10st 2lb
• Form: P-1323
• Rating: 126
• Jockey: Sean Bowen
• Trainer: Olly Murphy
• Odds: 20/1

This will require a Sean Bowen master class if Booster Bob is to put up a serious challenge here.

He has been turned over at short odds in his last three runs, and this step-up in grade is not going to help matters.

The presentage call is to look elsewhere.

Has the assistance of Sean Bowen

May find this race too hot

Star rating:

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15 Prince Quali

• Age: 8
• Weight: 10st 3lb
• Form: 1-332F
• Rating: 128
• Jockey: Harry Kimber
• Trainer: Robert Walford
• Odds: 20/1

Prince Quali ran well behind Kotmask when just over four lengths behind him at Ascot and backed that run up with a second-place finish to Prairie Wolf at Haydock.

He fell on his latest start, but the race had yet to get going for us to gauge where he would have finished. If he can run to the level that saw him finish 3rd to Kotmask at Ascot, he can outrun his odds off a favourable weight.

Has been holding his form this season

Took a heavy fall last time out

Star rating:

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14 Tedley

• Age: 6
• Weight: 10st 4lb
• Form: 222353
• Rating: 139
• Jockey: Jamie Brace (5)
• Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies
• Odds: 40/1

Tedley started the season in flying form, winning his first two chase starts and finishing second in his next three.

At Ascot in January, he finished ahead of Kotmask and a neck behind Scarface, and even on these less favourable terms, his current odds look too big and are worth a small each-way play.

There is every chance he can run well here and nick a place.

Has some form that gives him a live each-way chance

This is his ninth run of the season

Star rating:

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6 Light N Strike

• Age: 9
• Weight: 11st 1lb
• Form: /12-P6
• Rating: 139
• Jockey: Jack Tudor
• Trainer: Emma Lavelle
• Odds: 66/1

Light N Strike comes in here a bit overlooked in the betting. He has had a prep run over hurdles for this, finishing 6th, but the last time we saw him over fences, he was about to rack up back-to-back wins, only for a bad mistake at the last, costing him the win.

If he can run to that form here, then he looks too big of a price to ignore. He’s a lively outsider.

Has form to be comparative

First chase start since 2023

Star rating:

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13 Spyglass Hill

• Age: 12
• Weight: 10st 5lb
• Form: 03/1P-
• Rating: 129
• Jockey: Adam Wedge
• Trainer: Bary Brennen
• Odds: 66/1

This former Henry de Bromhead 12-year-old is having his first start for Barry Brennan since being pulled up over the Grand National fences in the Foxhunters Chase at Aintree. But it will take a miracle for the veteran to be involved in the finish today.

No obvious positives

Has been set an impossible task

Star rating:

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BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase Verdict

It’s hard to narrow down one confident selection, but VINCENZO is the one I want to take a chance with. He has shown progressive form in his last three runs and now looks ready for a step up in trip once again.

Saint Segal looks ready to run a big race once again, where Paint The Dream, Tedley and Light N Strike are each-way alternatives at big odds.

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