'He's come on a treat for the run' - key trainer quotes for 2022 Coral Gold Cup

Saturday: 3.05 Newbury
Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) | 3m2f | 4yo+ | ITV3/RTV

Success in a feature Saturday race is the dream for any first-season trainer and Joe Tizzard has three live contenders in this prestigious handicap chase worth £250,000.

Grand National fifth Fiddlerontheroof finished a half-length second to Cloudy Glen in this event last year and returns off a 5lb higher mark with cheekpieces fitted and Brendan Powell aboard, while Harry Cobden rides Oscar Elite, who was a three-length third behind Corach Rambler in the Ultima in March.

Those two runners have benefited from a prep run over hurdles, while dual Grade 1 winner Lostintranslation bids to take advantage of a declining mark on his first start of the season. He is a big-race mount for Freddie Gingell, the 16-year-old nephew of the trainer.

Tizzard, who started training in May and enjoyed a first winner at Cheltenham this month, said: “I loved the way Fiddlerontheroof galloped through the line at Kempton and he’s come on a treat since. He’s in good nick and should run a lovely race.

“Oscar Elite had a nice prep run at Wetherby. He’s still a novice over fences but has experience in these big-field handicaps. He’s an improving horse with a great each-way chance.

“Lostintranslation should give Freddie a good spin. He’s a Grade 1 winner off a mark of 150 but is a little harder to predict these days. If he gets in a good rhythm he could run well.”

Asked which of his trio has the best chance, Tizzard, after a second or two of agonising, said: “It’s between Fiddler and Oscar. There’s not much in it but Oscar just edges it.”

Russell has confidence in Corach

Oscar Elite is one of four horses in this 16-runner field who needs to reverse the Ultima form with Corach Rambler, whose trainer Lucinda Russell believes has “every chance” with luck in running.

The progressive eight-year-old teed up a tilt at this race when fifth in the Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle over an inadequate 2m4f, with Russell and partner Peter Scudamore set to assess conditions on raceday morning to determine the leading fancy’s participation.

Russell said on Friday: “Scu rode Corach on the track this morning and felt it was good ground, if not slightly on the soft side. We’re going to walk the track after racing today, and take him for a trot and a canter in the morning, and take a view then but hopefully he will run.

“It’s a deep race, one we respect, and there’s lots of decent horses in there. He’s come on a lot for his Carlisle run and we’ve aimed for this. He’s near the top of the betting and if he gets a clear passage through the race he would have every chance.”

Can Busselton be a stat buster?

The 2017 scorer Total Recall is the only Irish-trained winner of the race since 1980 but the Joseph O’Brien-trained Busselton has an even tougher statistic to overcome.

No five-year-old has won this race in its 65-year history, with the Martin Pipe-trained Eudipe faring best of the seven runners in that age bracket since 1990 when third behind Suny Bay in 1997.

Busselton has the benefit of 12 runs over fences, with an impressive record of four wins, six seconds and a third, and his most notable triumph came most recently in the Kerry National at Listowel in September.

O’Brien said: “He has trained well in the run-up to the race. This has been the plan since the Kerry National, he has plenty of experience for a young horse and will enjoy the nice ground. We're hoping he runs well in what looks a very competitive race.”

What they say

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Threeunderthrufive
He’s in good shape and ran well at Wetherby. He’s off 151 – I’d rather he was off 145 as we placed him well to win four novice chases – but you’d like to think he’ll improve for his second season over fences and if he does he’d be in the mix in an open race.

Alan King, trainer of Potterman
He slipped early on and took a while to regain his confidence in the Badger Beer at Wincanton before staying on up the straight. He looked sharp when schooling in a visor in the week and we feel that might help him.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Le Milos
I really like this horse. He won well at Bangor and this was always the plan, even before then. His Bangor win was on heavy but he has form on decent ground.

David Pipe, trainer of Remastered, Gericault Roque and Red Happy
Remastered surprised us at Aintree and has done well since. He would prefer the ground to be softer but was running a very good race in this last year when falling and runs off 4lb lower, so he should be in the mix. Gericault Roque tired late on at Aintree but has come on for the run. He similarly would prefer it a bit softer but as long as it’s safe he’ll be fine and hopefully he has a chance. Red Happy has had a great few months, winning six races since the end of March. He has no weight but is in at the deep end.

Evan Williams, trainer of Annsam
He always takes a run or two to reach his best. In an ideal world he could have done with another run but we thought we’d give it a crack.

Neil Mulholland, trainer of Lord Accord
We’re hopeful of a good run and he has everything to suit. The trip and ground are ideal, he has a nice weight and Richie [McLernon] gets on well with him. This is a bigger and better race to what he’s been running in but he’s a solid campaigner and we’re very happy with him.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Diablo De Rouhet
He’s got no weight and seems on good terms with himself, but we would have preferred more rain.

Saturday's race previews:

1.20 Newbury: 'He's the ideal horse for it' - can Kapcorse strike again for Paul Nicholls?

1.55 Newbury: can West Balboa keep Walking On Air grounded in this competitive handicap?

2.10 Newcastle: 'I hope it's not a tactical affair' - Constitution Hill ready for Fighting Fifth

2.30 Newbury: is First Street the one? Nicky Henderson bids to enhance Gerry Feilden record

3.25 Newcastle: L'Homme Presse the star turn in Rehearsal - analysis and key quotes

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