Greatwood Gold Cup Tips: Big Field Handicap Chase Headlines Newbury on Saturday

The big betting race on Saturday comes at Newbury in the Greatwood Gold Cup, with stacked field lining up for what is a big pot to win in the run up to the Cheltenham Festival. Billy Grimshaw has cast his eye over the runners and riders and makes the case to back one at a big price...

Last year's second Vincenzo is the obvious place to start when analysing the 2026 Greatwood Gold Cup, with Sam Thomas's charge 8lbs higher than a year ago but almost certainly an improved animal. Still an eight year old he has had a fantastic season thus far, winning a competitive Ascot handicap last time out in fine style. With the Cheltenham weights now released, he could bolt up here and run off the same mark in the Plate - his only Festival entry - and that may have been the long term plan from a stable who know how to plot a season for a horse masterfully.

It's hard to crab him bar the bigger weight he must contend with today and on price ground. For all he is probably the most likely winner, I think 5/2 overestimates his chances somewhat given the depth of opposition. Newbury is renowned across the country as one of the fairest tracks, with its flat nature meaning the best horse generally comes out on top and there is little to no pace bias. Obviously, a front runner who goes off like a scalded cat will impact the rest of the contenders in a race like this and I do think there is potential after his flop last time out when trying something different that Twinjets is sent to the front and allowed to press on by Harry Cobden. 

Paul Nicholls has a brilliant record in this race, although it has worsened a touch in recent seasons in line with the decline of the yard as a major force, and this race will have been the plan from the moment Twinjets unseated last time at Cheltenham. It'd be dangerous if the rest of the field let him loose on the front end and there are few better riders than Cobden at dictating, however the jumping errors he made at Prestbury Park were concerning for what had been a sound jumper previously and I'd want to see him bounce back before trusting him at around 5/1 in a race such as this one.

Gary and Josh Moore often excel around this time of season when the better ground returns and I was toying with putting up their Blow Your Wad as my selection prior to settling on my pick (more on him later). Last time out he was brilliantly ridden to pick up the pieces behind the top class duo of Pic D'Orhy and Jonbon in the Ascot Chase, bagging plenty of prize money in third. Taking that form literally, he looks well handicapped back in this sphere. However, we must take each race and performance on its merits and given he was never there to win, a pinch of salt is needed. He has seemingly been a tricky customer to get right throughout his career but is undoubtedly talented and if putting his best foot forward here I'd be surprised to see him out of the frame.

What can unravel Blow Your Wad is when he is asked to keep up with a fast pace and with the aforementioned Twinjets in here as well as Glengouly - albeit should rain not arrive I wouldn't be surprised if he were pulled out - he could get unnerved. One horse who will love a rapid pace, and indeed could be the one to set it, is my selection at around 14/1 JOSH THE BOSS for team Twiston-Davies. Seven year olds have won the last two renewals of this race, indeed one is Heltenham who returns but is in nothing like as good form this season, and Josh The Boss is the sole seven year old in the race.

I was a big fan of him as a hurdler and with just ten stone twelve to carry, plus Jamie Neild taking off another seven pounds, he could feel like he's floating around here, which is always something I see as a positive with a potential all the way winner. He could have no complaints when second as 5/2 favourite at Newcastle last time out, but that looked a hot race on the day and providing he is feeling no ill effects given the race was just a week ago, I foresee another bold effort. He may not quite be good enough to win, but I like his place chances massively and he has proven he doesn't sulk if headed, he'll battle on all the way to the line.