The long National Hunt season finally draws to a close this weekend with Sandown Park hosting the long distance handicap chase, The Bet365 Gold Cup.
Despite this year’s Cheltenham Festival not quite reaching the bookie crippling dizzy heights of the 2016 Festival, the season has witnessed some splendid memorable moments. Next season looks potentially explosive as some of the high profile big guns such as Faugheen, Thistlecrack, Annie Power and Coneygree who missed out on Cheltenham, will hopefully be back to contest those big prizes once more. Meanwhile though, there is one last puzzle to solve and it’s look mighty competitive. Doing Fine leads the market and he looks to be the type that may take the beating although plenty of value is to be found further down the card.
Doing Fine, trained by Neil Mullholland, is doing just that in recent outings! He easily won a minor handicap at Cheltenham last time out over 3 miles 4 furlongs beating some average rivals although the manner of his victory was impressive to say the least. He’s got course and distance form and was unlucky not to get the better of Rocky Creek at Sandown earlier in the year. He also likes to be ridden patiently and if you prefer your horses to run at the back and pick off rivals one by one, this is the one for you. He’s come on leaps and bounds since leaving the Rebecca Curtis yard to join Neil Mullholland’s team and looks set to improve further. Not the best of value at 5/1 (most firms - visit bet365) but is almost guaranteed to put in a bold show.
Doing Fine seen here winning at Cheltenham last time out, is a worthy favourite for the Bet 365 Gold Cup.
QUALITY CONUNDRUM
This is not the highest quality renewal of the Bet 365 Gold Cup. In all honesty, the rest of the field doesn’t paint a pretty picture in terms of the form guide. Second favourite and last year’s winner The Young Master doesn’t inspire confidence based on his performances this season. With the exception of coming in 6th in the Ultima Handicap Chase, staying on without being a threat, he hasn’t shown anything worthy of second favouritism since winning this last year. However, if you think he can put in another bold run and erase the form guide then he can be grabbed at 7/1 best with most firms - visit bet365.
The Druid’s Nephew has been struggling to find any kind of form since winning at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival, whilst Just A Par and Sugar Baron have also struggled to impress in the formbook. Therefore, the value is clearly going to be found with a good scrutiny of horses further down the pecking order.
VYTA DU ROC
Nicky Henderson’s Vyta Du Roc is an interesting entry. He ran a decent enough race in the 2016 Hennessy Gold Cup, finishing 9 lengths behind Native River and has been raced lightly since. If you go back further, he’s got form that demonstrates ability and class including a win over Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Minella Rocco. It wouldn’t take a great deal of improvement to compete with the several front runners in the betting and will be there or thereabouts if he can reproduce anything like his form in 2016. A good value each-way proposition at 12/1 best with Ladbrokes.
Nicky Henderson will be hoping that Vyta Du Roc can improve to figure in this year’s Bet 365 Gold Cup.
Present Man, trained by Paul Nicholls, is another value contender who has provided some consistency albeit in lesser company. He is also tackling 3 miles 4 furlongs for the first time; however, he has stayed effectively over 3 miles so the extra half mile should not overly bother him. He took a big break between Boxing Day and earlier this month where he made all to win impressively at Ascot which should set him up nicely for this run. He’s fairly well handicapped and could be involved at the business end at a decent price: 14/1 with Betfred, bet365 and Bet Victor.
THE REST
Rock The Kasbah, trained by Philip Hobbs, has been the subject of recent market activity, backed from 25s into 16/1 best (Betfred) and is tackling this distance for the first time but seems to be improving. Viva Steve has been recently added to Fergal O’Brien’s yard but has failed to make an impact at 3 miles plus yet, whilst What’s Happening has been campaigning regularly over the long distances in the last several seasons and cannot be discounted. Both can be grabbed at 16/1 best with Betfred.
Rock The Kasbah has been the subject of recent market activity.
FINAL VERDICT
I’m normally not a big fan for following favourites in these big handicaps, however, on this occasion it’s very difficult to see beyond the current market leader Doing Fine. Therefore, a medium punt on the 5/1 favourite is the way to go for this renewal of the Sandown finale.
- Doing Fine - 9/2 with bet365 - visit bet365
OFFERS
With 17 runners currently going to post, the each way choices are unfortunately limited with nearly all firms only offering the standard 4 places for each way options.
Good luck with all bets on The Bet 365 Gold Cup!
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