Dominant Nicholls runs two in bid for ninth success

3.15 Newbury
William Hill "High 5" Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 3) | 2m4f | 5yo+ | ITV/RUK

Paul Nicholls is extremely good at winning lots of races, not least valuable handicaps, and in no such contest has he attained a record as excellent as the one he holds in this Newbury feature.

The Greatwood Gold Cup has only been staged since 2004 but eight of its 14 runnings have been captured by Nicholls, seven of whose eight most recent Cheltenham Festival victories have also come in the handicap sphere.

Having plundered this particular prize in the last two seasons, the champion trainer is pursuing a hat-trick with Vibrato Valtat and More Buck's, although bookmakers believe the trainer with the best chance of stopping him is his former assistant Dan Skelton, represented by the unexposed Oldgrangewood.

Newbury form

Thomas Crapper has a record of only one win from 19 starts over fences but that success came at Newbury, albeit on ground much quicker than he will face this time. O Maonlai seems to run either very well or very badly. When he runs very well it's at Newbury. When he runs very badly it's anywhere else.

Returning to familiar ground

Sir Peter and Lady Gibbings will be cheering on Hollywoodien, hoping to win an event whose inaugural running they took with Isio. Back then it was known as the Vodafone Gold Cup and worth £100,000, double its current value.

What they say

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Vibrato Valtat and More Buck's
It's a good prize and I like winning it but it has been just one of those things that we have won it so often. The horse I targeted this time was San Benedeto, but I thought two and a half miles on soft ground could be an issue, so I diverted him to Doncaster. Both the horses I've left in would be better on better ground. I slightly prefer More Buck's as he has a lighter weight. He has progressed from being an ordinary horse into a fair handicapper. Stan Sheppard's 5lb claim will be handy on Vibrato.

Tom George, trainer of O Maonlai
He's got a good record at Newbury, has had a nice break and is back fresh and in good form.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Oldgrangewood
He has been winning around a similar track in Wetherby. This is a step up in grade but he's ready for it and I think, given his profile, he has a chance off his mark. Soft ground won't be a problem.

Tom Symonds, trainer of Hollywoodien
He's only six and has loads of potential. The step up in trip would help as well. He wouldn't want too much rain.

Henry Oliver, trainer of Dresden
He has a good pull at the weights with Oldgrangewood on their run at Wetherby and, because he is such a stuffy horse, he should have come on again since then.

Evan Williams, trainer of Tornado In Milan
I never thought he would be running in a race like this but he has progressed as he has got older. I don't know what to make of his last run as it was so very good.

Venetia Williams, trainer of Vic De Touzaine
He's been difficult to train for the last few seasons but his Wincanton form has worked out well.

David Easterby, son of Mick Easterby, trainer of Shadows Lengthen
It was a good entry by the owner as he sneaks into a valuable handicap with a light weight – and our share of the £50,000 prize-money would help pay the tax bill. If any rain is significant he may not run.

Robin Dickin, trainer of Thomas Crapper
He is in rude health and is well handicapped off 128 but it's a devil that it's rained. We'll make a late call about his participation.