Andy Stephens

Our team found four winners from five selections last weekend, including Betfair Chase hero Royale Pagaille (10/1 early on), and again mark your card. Dan Overall: House looks in order Race: 12:30 Newbury. Best Odds: 85/40. A few interesting types here, although the clear standout to me is INCH HOUSE. His chase debut behind Chianti Classico was encouraging but he took his form to an entirely different level last time out, bolting up in what appeared to be a very strong novice handicap chase.

Day one of Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup meeting on Friday begins with the much-hyped Jeriko Du Reponet making his debut under Rules (12.10) plus Grade One winner Hermes Allen having his first start over fences (1.50). The highlight, though, is the Coral Long Distance Hurdle (3.00) and if the Grade Two event is half as good as last year, when Champ and Paisley Park served up a fabulous finish, then we won’t be disappointed.

Monbeg Genius has plenty going for him in the Coral Gold Cup on Saturday and makes plenty of appeal at the general 8/1 on offer. Twenty-three horses remain in the mix for the £250,000 Newbury feature after Monday’s confirmations but it’s the Jonjo O’Neill-trained seven-year-old who stands out. He has all the attributes required for one of the season’s great staying handicap chases and the only surprise, at least to me, is that he’s not clear favourite in the ante-post betting.