Dave Nevison's horse racing tips for Saturday: Scoop the Kitty in bet365 Gold Cup

For a conditional jockey, Jack Tudor has seemingly been in the enviable position of having the pick of two good mounts in the final big chase of the British season. It is no real surprise to me that he has chosen this mightily progressive young stayer, who I hope will still have upside in him compared to several more familiar names.

I cannot remember a five-year-old running in this race before - though the winners do seem to be getting younger than in my early memories of this race - and Martin Pipe did win it with a six-year-old in 2002. Kitty’s Light is certainly precocious in regard to these staying events, but he runs as though no distance is going to be too long as demonstrated last time when staying on up the steep run-in to victory at Kelso.

He has progressed on ground to this and is in just about the right range to win it. It seems this is a difficult race to carry weight in, with only three horses this century carrying more than his burden of 11st 1lb. Maybe the older, more exposed chasers lack the speed of the younger stayers and Kitty’s Light also benefits from Tudor’s 3lb claim. Christian Williams has had a very good season in staying chases and can conclude on a good note.

I definitely think Iconic Muddle will improve considerably for this step-up in trip and he could be lurking on a handy mark off bottom-weight here.

His jumping has progressed in two runs over fences and he wants this intermediate trip. He was a decent novice over hurdles but unfortunate to run into some useful progressive handicappers when upped in grade. He could have been rated higher based on their subsequent exploits.

Iconic Muddle has been raised 4lb for his good effort last time, but his current rating of 121 is still well within his potential range and he represents a team no stranger to Sandown success.

I have an inkling that Farinet representing Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch may end up being a non-runner in the fast conditions but, if he does run, I will certainly be saving my stake on him as he looks a really promising type.

He has been tried at the highest level and disappointed several times after winning the Adonis at Kempton on his first run for the yard last year. However, he was well-backed last time in a good handicap at Kelso and he might be in the right race here having missed both Cheltenham and Aintree.

It is not that unusual for juveniles to experience a bit of a lull in their second season, and given the support for him last time, the drop in his rating and this good ground, I feel he is worth supporting to end the champion trainer’s season on a fitting note.

In a race full of exposed sprinters, Dana Forever has plenty going for her - not least her trainer’s record at this track. The Dascombe yard is back among the winners having gone through a lean spell for a while too, so the signs are good.

Dana Forever is suited to making the running and has hit lucky in this race with no other confirmed pace-setters involved. She has been run out of things close home in several races, but she doesn’t look faint-hearted in any way and was only beaten by a nose last time out. She doesn’t have progressive opposition here and this looks like her chance to score.