13:50 Newbury

Monday 29 December 2025

All12:0512:4013:1513:5014:2215:0015:35

Coral Mandarin Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 6m 33.04s

Annual Invictus³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Freddie Gordon| T: C Gordon| OR: 140| C

5/1

Front-runner who developed into a smart handicapper in early 2024, including win in Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster and close second in bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown. Off 19 months, showed enough to suggest he retains ability when midfield in Coral Gold Cup over C&D 30 days ago. This is easier.

Form: 64172/0

King's Threshold^t³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Ben Jones| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 131| C

9/4

Rejuvenated by breathing surgery/fitting of a tongue strap when completing a hat-trick at the start of 2025. Much better effort this season when fourth of 12 over 22.5f here last month.

Form: 111P-04

Only The Bold^t,p⁵⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 130| D

5/1

Had a disappointing 2023/24 for David Pipe but back on track for his new yard, winning Summer Cup at Uttoxeter in June. Sound return from 4 months off when close third in Sandown veterans' event 7 weeks ago.

Form: PP/P-313

Hold That Taught³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-8| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 120| D

25/1

Won twice at the end of 2023 but hasn't come close to that level in a light career since, including pulling up in the Rehearsal at Newcastle last month.

Form: 1P/64-4P

Rivers Corner^b²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 118| BF| C

9/4

Improved in first-time blinkers when winning a 23f course handicap in March. Ended that season with another good run here and has returned with a couple of creditable thirds in recent weeks. Likely to be on the premises.

Form: 6312-33

Ideal Des Bordes^b²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 117

7/1

First and second in his first 2 chases. The wheels have rather come off since but he did shape better with blinkers added (retained) when fourth of Sandown (3m) last time (would have finished closer but for mistakes at last 2).

Form: 2P5-0P4

Non-Runners

Brave Kingdom³⁰

Weight: 11-2| Age: 9

T: P F Nicholls J: H Cobden

Gericault Roque²⁹³

Weight: 11-2| Age: 9

T: D Pipe J: Non Runner

Minella Blueway²³

Weight: 10-8| Age: 7

T: Evan Williams J: Isabel Williams

Forecasts

King's Threshold (9/4), Rivers Corner (9/4), Only The Bold (5/1), Annual Invictus (5/1), Gericault Roque (5/1), Minella Blueway (13/2), Ideal Des Bordes (7/1), Brave Kingdom (8/1), Hold That Taught (25/1)

In a contest where few arrive with compelling claims it might be worth chancing the classy ANNUAL INVICTUS, who shaped as if retaining a good chunk of his ability after an absence when mid-field in the Coral Gold Cup over C&D and this is less competitive. Rivers Corner is next on the list, ahead of Only The Bold.