'This has always been the plan' - Nicky Henderson puts faith in Dusart to end ten-year wait for more Coral Gold Cup glory

Nicky Henderson will continue to assemble a strong team for Newbury’s two-day Coral Gold Cup meeting, with Dusart likely to be his sole representative in the big race on Saturday week.

The Lambourn trainer, who uses the track’s biggest fixture as an opportunity to run some of his stars for the first time in the season, will attempt to win the Coral Gold Cup for the first time since Triolo D'Alene in 2013.

Henderson said the £250,000 contest has always been the objective for Dusart, with the eight-year-old on course for his first appearance since being brought down in the Scottish National at Ayr in April.

Henderson said: "He's in good form and this race has always been the plan, but I'd very much like some decent ground for him.

“He was out of sorts last season, and the only time I thought he was coming to himself was when he went to the Scottish National. He was running a very good race when he was brought down half way down the back straight and that was the first time I'd seen him travel and jump all season.

"This season, he's come in and he's been good, bright and bouncy all the way through. It's difficult to find races for them to start with, so it'll be tough, but he's been here before and he's fit and well."

Henderson confirmed Marie’s Rock will run in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle on the opening day of the meeting, while Under Control will feature in the Gerry Feilden.

The JP McManus-owned Under Control has won four of her five career starts and goes in search of a hat-trick, having won at Cheltenham and Sandown in April.

Henderson added: "She’s sweet, she’s an absolute poppet and although she’s not the biggest, she’s quite talented. You only have to go back to Sandown when she beat Iberico Lord, so the form looks quite solid.

"She does her job and she’s very professional. Hopefully we’ll get some dry weather between now and next weekend."

Ga Law: provides Jamie Snowden with one of two chances in the Coral Gold Cup at NewburyCredit: Edward Whitaker

Jamie Snowden has pinpointed the Coral Gold Cup as the ideal race for Ga Law, who bids to return to the form that saw him land the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham last season.

Since scooping the valuable prize at the home of jump racing 12 months ago, the seven-year-old has featured four times but only managed to complete on two of those occasions.

Ga Law made his return at Wetherby this month, finishing last of six in the Grade 2 bet365 Hurdle, and Snowden is hoping for better in Newbury’s showpiece event.

He said: "He’s on a slight comeback mission. The Coral Gold Cup obviously brings its advantage if Ahoy Senor runs because it brings the weights down and he runs off a sensible weight in a big race.

"He’s caught between the devil and the deep blue sea because he won the Paddy Power last year and he would have won the Sky Bet Chase. He’s gone up in the handicap as a result of all of that and he’s now off a mark of 153, which is high enough.

"He’s either going to be carrying top weight in lesser handicaps or up in Graded company, which perhaps he’s not yet good enough."

Snowden could also be represented at Newbury with Grade 2 winner Datsalrightgino, who made his first start of the campaign when eighth of 11 in the Old Roan at Aintree last month.

He added: "He was a very progressive horse over fences last season and improved 20lb. He had a warm-up run in the Old Roan the other day. They took out a load of fences, so it became a bit of a bumper, but he had a good gallop round there.

"Gav [Sheehan, jockey] is adamant he wants this type of trip and he comes here as an unexposed horse over the distance."

Coral Gold Cup (Newbury, December 2)

Coral: 7-1 Complete Unknown, Monbeg Genius, Mahler Mission, 8 Midnight River, 14 Stolen Silver, Our Power, 16 Stumptown, 20 bar

Read these next:

Grand National on the cards again for Le Milos as Dan Skelton eyes big campaign with Coral Gold Cup winner

Hayley Turner 'very proud' after riding 1,000th winner of her career at Chelmsford

Racing Post Members' Club: 50% off your first three months