Andrew Asquith hit the crossbar last week but is back with two selections at Newbury on Saturday in his latest ante-post column.
Weekend View: Saturday November 29
1pt e.w. Thanksforthehelp in Daily Rewards Shaker Handicap Hurdle at Newbury at 20/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair 1/4 1,2,3,4)
1pt e.w. Victtorino in Coral Gold Cup at Newbury at 16/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4)
I put Cruz Control up for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in my Ante-Post View column a few weeks ago, but it appears that connections are opting to go down the easier path of the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle for his return to action instead.
I can totally understand the thinking given his record at that track, but given my original wager for the big race at Newbury has seemingly evaporated into thin air, it’s time to take another look over the entries.
The Changing Man has to be high on the shortlist following a highly-promising return at Ascot earlier in the month, where he travelled like the best horse at the weights before the lack of a recent run seemingly told on the run-in. He’s sure to go well from just 1lb higher, while Panic Attack impressed by winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup on her return at Cheltenham recently and she’s well-in under a 4lb penalty (she’ll be 3lb higher in future races).
However, currently trading at a bigger price than both is the Venetia Williams-trained VICTTORINO, who also looks well weighted on the pick of his efforts.
He did this column a good turn when making a winning return at Ascot a couple of years ago and he ran a blinder to finish third in this race on his reappearance 12 months ago. That was an unusual performance it has to be said, some less-than-fluent leaps throughout, particularly on the second circuit, making him work harder to hold his position and he looked a beaten horse leaving the back straight.
Victtorino was still in last position jumping four out, but rallied well from there, finishing with a flourish to take third close home and still having running left at the line. That outing clearly served its purpose as he went on to win his next two starts at his favoured Ascot in the Howden Swinley Cup (conceding 8lb to The Changing Man in second) and the Swinley Handicap Chase.
If you ignore his run in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival, at a track where he is yet to give his running in three attempts, he had an excellent campaign, as he didn't shape badly upped to an extended three and a half miles in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown on his final start.
That trip probably stretched him, too, and there are reasons to think he could go on again this season. He’s still only a seven-year-old and hasn’t been over raced for this yard, while there is a chance that this year’s renewal of the Coral Gold Cup will be more strongly run with the likes of Myretown and a few others likely to go forward.
That scenario would suit his run style better and there were signs last weekend from the likes of Royale Pagaille and Martator that the yard are on the verge of hitting top form following a slow start to the season proper – at 16/1 he looks a little overpriced to me, especially as he has the ability to go well fresh.
Earlier on the card at Newbury I can’t help but have a few quid on THANKSFORTHEHELP in the Coral “Daily Rewards Shaker” Handicap Hurdle.
He’s a horse who has plenty of ability but perhaps doesn’t always show it all, but he has a solid record in similar events, and I thought he shaped much better than the bare result on his return over three miles at Newbury earlier in the month.
Thanksforthehelp was easy enough to back for that race won by Haiti Couleurs but he travelled very well for three quarters of the race, perhaps a little too well, showing plenty of exuberance in a prominent position in a race which wasn’t run at a true pace.
He got tired in the straight and quickly fell away from the second-last, but he wasn’t given a hard time, and he came on a bundle for his reappearance last season. Thanksforthehelp shaped well for much of that campaign, continuing to leave the impression he had a big run in him, and he finally put it all together to land a valuable handicap at the Punchestown Festival.
The eight-year-old relished a strongly-run two and a half miles on that occasion and that set up appears to be his optimum. There are several among the entries who like to go forward in this race, too, notably Rubber Ball, Personal Ambition, and Lud’Or, all of whom are already jocked up.
Therefore, this should end up being a truly-run race to suit Thanksforthehelp’s strong-travelling style, and he still looks fairly handicapped from a mark of 126 on his Punchestown performance earlier in the year. It is also worth remembering that he started favourite for the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival in 2023 from a mark of 128.
Preview posted at 1510 GMT on 25/11/2025
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