Hennessey Gold Cup - Newbury

Just the one selection yesterday and GRANDIOSO returned a small profit for our £5 eachway wager coming in 3^rd at 14/1 giving us a £9.00 profit. That was our first wager of the week since last Saturday.

The alert list has gone into overdrive today, and there are far too many runners from it to mention. There are several in todays feature race, the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. They are KATENKO, HOUBLON DES OBEAUX, ROCKY CREEK, CLOUDY TOO, LOCH BA, MERRY KING and HIGHLAND LODGE. At the odds, I really think KATENKO and LOCH BA have great chances. Of the others, I feel carrying more than 11st will prove too much for Houblon Des Obeaux, Rocky Creek. And Cloudy Too. Sure, they will run good races and can be among the places and of the 3, HOUBLON DES OBEAUX at 28/1 could repay a small eachway wager. I have high hopes for Merry King and Highland Lodge, but you have to pin your hopes somewhere in a race like this. I’ll be honest and say that I took 33/1 eachway on LOCH BA on Thursday. This horse ran very well when beaten LTO by Midnight Appeal and I think that form will prove very strong as the season progresses. KATENKO, as I wrote on Thursday, is the one horse in this field who I think can go on to glory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. His form last season was without fault and he has the speed to win over 2m5f, and the stamina to win over 3-mile. Odds of 16/1 with Bet365, who pay 5-places eachway, look very generous.

Selections:

Newbury 3:00 KATENKO, £5 eachway @ 16/1 with Bet365 paying 5 places at quarter odds (BOG)

Newbury 3:00 LOCH BA, £5 eachway @ 20/1 with Bet365 paying 5 places at quarter odds (BOG)

Total = £20 staked

Elsewhere, I think VINTAGE STAR has a better than 4/1 chance in the 2:40 at Newcastle. It all depends on whether Hey Big Spender is anywhere near his best form of last season but, even if he is, he may find it tough conceding 3lb to VINTAGE STAR.

Newcastle 2:40 VINTAGE STAR, £10 win @ 4/1 with Bet365 (BOG)