How To Bet £20 ante-post on the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury

Joe Tizzard issued a positive update on Oscar Elite and Fiddlerontheroof - his two contenders for this year’s Coral Gold Cup – at a media event organised by Newbury on Tuesday and it is the latter who looks to hold the strongest claims of landing the £250,000 contest on Saturday, November 26.

The Grade One-winning hurdler came agonisingly close to winning last year’s renewal during his second season as a chaser and, given he was forced to sidestep a faller at the fourth-last, you could argue he was a shade unlucky as he was only beaten half a length by the winner, who got first run on him.

Admittedly, he did have every chance of heading Cloudy Glen up the straight, but was clawing back the deficit near the line, and the pair pulled almost 30 lengths clear of the third.

He was given a short break afterwards and the lack of a recent run, as well as carrying top weight in testing conditions, proved his downfall when second at Ascot on his next outing before he signed off with a highly respectable fifth in the Grand National.

The eight-year-old caught the eye on his return over hurdles this season in a Pertemps Qualifier at Kempton, where he was not given a hard time. He seems certain to strip fitter for that outing.

After watching Fiddlerontheroof gallop alongside Oscar Elite at Newbury on Tuesday, Tizzard said he believes his charge has “tightened right up” following his pipe-opener and that the Coral Gold Cup, as expected, “has long been the target”.

Fiddlerontheroof is 5lb higher this time around, and while another career-best will be needed to score off a rating of 155, he ought to have more to offer this season.

The 14-1 available with most firms looks generous and it is hard to see him not being competitive again in a race Tizzard’s father, Colin, landed with both Native River (2016) and Sizing Tennessee (2018).

The only slight negative would be if conditions became testing as, despite the fact the selection has won on soft and heavy ground, he does appear best suited by good to soft, so hopefully conditions will be similar to what they have been for the past three renewals of this race.

There is rain forecast between now and next weekend, although various forecasts all suggest different amounts at this stage, but one contender who won’t mind give underfoot is Remastered.

David Pipe’s staying chaser, who has won five times on soft and heavy ground, fell when making his challenge at the fourth-last in this contest 12 months ago, and while it was too far out to say if he would have won, the way he was travelling suggests he would have been in the first three, at least.

That fall probably knocked his confidence slightly as he failed to show his best on his next two outings, and he also disappointed when reverting to hurdles on his final start last season.

However, the Grade Two winner bounced back to form on his seasonal debut, and first run since a wind op, when successful over the smaller obstacles at Aintree this month in the same race he contested prior to his run in the Coral Gold Cup last year.

That victory surprised his handler who thought his charge would improve considerably for the outing as his preparation “hadn’t been the best”, and a good chunk of improvement can be expected.

As a consequence of his below-par efforts last season, Remastered returns here off a 4lb lower rating and, granted a clear round next weekend, he has every chance of gaining compensation.

£7.50 each-way on Fiddlerontheroof at a general 14-1.

£2.50 each-way on Remastered at 9-1 with William Hill.