The latest betting odds, dates, UK start time, favourites and tips for the 2023 Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.
The Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, previously known as the Hennessy, has long been one of the most prestigious staying handicap chases around.
As such, it has enjoyed both handicap and graded performers with many runners achieving further success in both the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Denman completed the famous treble including the 2007 Hennessy, 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup and 2008 Hennessy with both wins at Newbury coming off top weight. More recently, Bobs Worth won the race in 2012 before winning the 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Many Clouds won the 2014 renewal before winning the 2015 Grand National, Native River won the 2016 renewal before later winning the 2018 Gold Cup and last year Corach Rambler finished 4th before winning the Ultima at Cheltenham and the Grand National at Aintree.
Therefore, punters will be assured that this race carries relevance for next year’s Ultima Handicap Chase, Gold Cup and Grand National.
Coral Gold Cup Odds
Here are the latest best and worst prices for the 2023 Coral Gold Cup through oddschecker.
| Horse | Best Price | Worst Price |
|---|---|---|
| Complete Unknown | 15/2 | 11/2 |
| Mahler Mission | 15/2 | 6/1 |
| Monbeg Genius | 8/1 | 6/1 |
| Stumptown | 10/1 | 8/1 |
| Midnight River | 11/1 | 8/1 |
| Our Power | 18/1 | 12/1 |
| Kittys Light | 20/1 | 12/1 |
| Sail Away | 25/1 | 16/1 |
| Remastered | 20/1 | 12/1 |
| Stolen Silver | 14/1 | 11/1 |
| Ahoy Senor | 18/1 | 14/1 |
| Zanza | 20/1 | 14/1 |
| Bill Baxter | 20/1 | 12/1 |
| Datsalrightgino | 22/1 | 16/1 |
| Dusart | 22/1 | 16/1 |
| Cloudy Glen | 25/1 | 18/1 |
2023 Coral Gold Cup Dates & UK Start Time
The 2023 Coral Gold Cup is due to be run at 2:50pm on Saturday 2nd December at Newbury racecourse, broadcast live on ITV.
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Coral Gold Cup Entries | Newbury Ante-Post Odds
More on the ante-post favourites for the 2023 Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.
Monbeg Genius
Monbeg Genius was beaten twice in Novice Hurdles before the step up to 3 miles on his final run prompted a 14 length victory. In his novice chase campaign he was unbeaten in three starts over the staying trip meaning that when he went to post for the 2023 Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival, he was the 6/1 favourite.
Little did connections know, they were about to run in a race which would serve to be the best piece of staying form around. Winner Corach Rambler subsequently won the Grand National and now rates 13lb higher at 159; second placed Fastorslow won the Punchestown Gold Cup, where he beat Gold Cup 1-2 Galopin des Champs and Bravemansgame, and subsequently won the Grade 1 John Durkan on reappearance, again beating Galopin Des Champs.
He is already rated 18lb higher at 168, before being reassessed for his John Durkan win. Monbeg Genius is only rated 7lb higher at 147 and it seems hard to believe that Monbeg Genius, a seven-year-old, can’t at least improve as much as Corach Rambler, two years his senior.
All this conspires to say, he is undoubtedly well handicapped and having blown away any cobwebs with his spin around Ascot, he should go very close to winning.
Complete Unknown
Complete Unknown’s chances are obvious. His novice hurdle campaign suggested that a staying handicap could be within his reach. Indeed, he won Sandown’s EBF Novice final with horses like Knappers Hill, Marble Sands, Triple Trade and Thunder Rock all in behind.
He went on to finish 2nd behind the reopposing Mahler Mission in a listed novice hurdle at Perth over 3 miles. A race on spring ground, against a front running winner seemed on a flat track seemed to highlight his lack of gears but did leave encouraging thoughts.
Since then he’s won two novice handicap chases before finishing 2nd behind Gerri Colombe in a Grade 1 at Aintree. He reappeared after a wind op this summer to give weight and a beating to Martin Pipe 4th Might I.
Nicholls’ charge is certainly appealing on paper; 2nd season novice, placed in a Grade 1, had a prep run etc. Might I was 4th in the Martin Pipe off top weight of 11st 12lb, the form of which has been boosted. The winner Iroko was subsequently 3rd in a Grade 1 before winning on chase debut, 3rd place Buddy One finished 2nd at Aintree and won at Cheltenham’s November meeting to give him a 17lb higher rating. 5th placed Imagine won his first two starts over fences which includes a Grade 2.
That may seem very appealing on face value, but Might I, who was having his 1st start over fences, was hugely let down by his jumping. Conversely, Complete Unknown was having his 5th and enjoyed his optimal heavy ground conditions.
Indeed his soft/heavy ground record now reads 12151211. His 2nd to Gerri Colombe where he ran past Bronn, doesn’t stay, and the 145 rated Galia des Liteaux, who wanted softer ground, does not seem appealing either. All this is to say, I would be keen to oppose him off 152.
Mahler Mission
Mahler Mission has some excellent form in the book. As a novice hurdler he won the Grade 2 River Don at Doncaster (beating The Real Whacker), a race which Stay Away Fay was 2nd in this year.
He was 7th in the Albert Bartlett before beating the aforementioned Complete Unknown at Perth. Interestingly, his best piece of form is his most unknown, falling at two out after kicking clear in the National Hunt chase at Cheltenham.
The actual winner Gaillard Du Mesnil ran a very promising 3rd in the Grand National to give the form a boost, and it would be no surprise to see something similar here. He jumped out to his left at Carlisle on reappearance, indicating a return to the left handed Newbury would be in his favour.
Nevertheless that run over an inadequate 2m 4f should have readied him for this. If he can get into a rhythm out in front, then he should be in the frame at the very least, and he even could identify himself as a Gold Cup outsider with a win.
Midnight River
Dan Skelton won the race last year with Le Milos and he bids to follow up that success with Midnight River. The son of Midnight Legend has had a productive 2023 already, winning both the New Year’s Day handicap chase at Cheltenham as well as winning the Freebooter Handicap at the Aintree festival. That victory was his first ever start over 3 miles and he remains very unexposed over the trip.
However, the form does not seem that compelling, in the context of other Grade 1 form being brought to the table. Beating the 132 rated Bowtogreatness and the 145 rated Kinondo Kwetu in a first time tongue tie, albeit giving them both plenty of weight, is nothing to write home about.
He’s been raised 5lb for that, and was arguably eye-catching in his reappearance in the Charlie Hall, a race he will undoubtably improve on given his trainer’s poor first time out record this season. However, not only is his form doubtful, but so too is his stamina.
Aintree’s Mildmay course is a flat track with tight turns and winning there on spring ground is not the same test as 23-runner handicap in soft December ground over a furlong further and against better horses. A mark of 156 does not seem flattering to him, and although one should always be wary of a Skelton horse in a handicap, I can’t see him winning this.
2023 Coral Gold Cup Tips
Of the four favourites, whilst I am very keen to oppose both Complete Unknown and Midnight River, I am also very positive about Mahler Mission and Monbeg Genius. Mahler Mission’s prominent running style will be extremely dangerous on such a flat track. Moreover, if he’s able to get in a jumping rhythm, the cramped runners in the pack will likely make mistakes.
His graded form, which includes beating the Real Whacker, is smart and he can take rank in Graded races after this. Nevertheless, Monbeg Genius is too well handicapped himself to ignore. I would suggest completely ignoring his Ascot run last time out. He was last of four, beaten 21 lengths, on reappearance last year off 124 and interestingly his two other biggest disappointments were both on right handed tracks as a novice hurdler.
Now race fit and back going left handed, he should go extremely close. Remastered could hit the frame again in a race he’s been unlucky not to win.
