How To Bet £20 ante-post on the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown

Novices have been first past the post in the past three renewals of the bet365 Gold Cup and Corach Rambler can extend that sequence at Sandown Park on Saturday.

The Lucinda Russell-trained eight-year-old, chalked up at 7-1 by William Hill, has looked something of a work in progress this season but it was impossible not to be impressed by the way he scythed through the field to land the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last month.

The excellent Derek Fox didn’t panic after a slow start left him playing catch-up, and he ended up winning with something to spare, having looked to have plenty on his plate three out. The form has a rock-solid look, too, with four other unexposed novices chasing him home and Noble Yeats, the subsequent Grand National winner, being back in ninth.

Corach Rambler has to cope with a 7lb higher mark at the weekend but that’s the least that his connections could have expected and, in any case, he still has a stack of untapped potential, especially moving up in trip. Russell has reported that he has come out of the race better than he went into it, which has to be encouraging.

He is a sound jumper who seems well served by goodish ground, and that run at Cheltenham, which didn’t appear to get to the bottom of him, was just his fourth since November. His trainer has said she wants good to soft ground for him to participate and hopefully Sandown's watering policy will satisfy her.

The stiff nature of Cheltenham clearly plays to Corach Rambler’s strengths – it was his second victory at the track this term - but he won in slick style on Aintree’s Mildmay Course earlier in the campaign (on good going) and seems blessed with stamina and speed. There’s no reason why Sandown will not suit, with the demanding uphill finish seemingly tailor-made for him.

Plenty of the other 25 who remain in the mix are exposed, past their best or have questions to answer.

None of those remarks are applicable to Win My Wings, who did followers of this column a favour when running away with the Scottish Grand National last time, having previously landed the Eider.

But while she appeared to win easily at Ayr, I suspect the mare still had to put in a big shift, and the handicapper has hammered her with a 14lb rise, leaving her with top weight to shoulder. No doubt Christian Williams will be hoping to retain the services of Rob James, who took a valuable 7lb off her back last time. But even that might not be enough on this occasion.

The first three home last year – Enrilo, Potterman and Kitty’s Light – are on course to meet again, and I’m going to have a saver on Enrilo, who was first home 12 months ago but subsequently demoted for hampering Kitty’s Light on the run-in. Potterman, who had a trouble-free run, ended up being a fortunate winner.

The stewards had little option but to disqualify Enrilo but he moved through at least 98 per cent of the contest like the best horse in the race and, but for an error two out and seemingly losing concentration in the closing stages, he would surely have prevailed.

This season has not gone to script for one of the sport’s rare black geldings because he fell on his return, when well-fancied for the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury, and then seemed to find the race coming too quick when pulled up at Cheltenham a couple of weeks later.

However, he shaped much better than the bare form when fourth in the valuable Coral Trophy over 3m at Kempton towards the end of February on his latest start – again travelling powerfully for a long way, despite being very easy to back, before fading late on in first-time cheekpieces. It looked a case of him doing too much, too soon, over a trip short of his best.

Nicholls had him in the Scottish Grand National at the five-day stage this month but opted to skip the Ayr marathon and keep him fresher for his return to Esher. Given the way Win My Wings won that contest, he will have had no regrets.

Enrilo clearly enjoys the challenges of Sandown – he also won on his only other visit to the track – and again seems sure to get the good ground he bounces off. Only 1lb higher than last year, another bold bid seems assured.

Potterman is only 2lb higher than 12 months ago and will again have conditions to suit, but he got lucky last year and may have to settle for a supporting role this time.

Dame Fortune has continued to taunt Kitty’s Light as he has finished runner-up on four more occasions this campaign without getting his head in front, including last time when runner-up in the Scottish National. However, a hard race there will not have helped his cause and he’s 6lb higher than last year, so meets Enrilo on 5lb worse terms.

Williams could also run Cap Du Nord, who was a creditable fifth last year. However, he didn’t seem to get home and, moreover, has to bounce back from a modest effort at Aintree a fortnight ago.

£17 win on Corach Rambler at 7-1 with William Hill

£3 win on Enrilo at 7-1 with William Hill