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Monday’s racing round-up brings you news of a potential big-race clash at Newcastle this weekend…
The unbeaten Sir Gino looks set to take on Mystical Power as both horses featured among the eleven five-day entries for the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth at Newcastle on Saturday. With Constitution Hill ruled out due to lameness, Nicky Henderson has made a late switch to allow Sir Gino, who was set to make his debut over fences at Kempton today, bid to give him a record-extending ninth success in the North East Grade 1 prize. Last season's juvenile hurdler is poised to take on Mystical Power, who would become Willie Mullins' first runner in the contest since Wicklow Brave finished third nine years ago.
Last season's emphatic National Hunt Chase winner Corbetts Cross, who missed a possible engagement in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday, is being readied for a return to English shores, with trainer Emmet Mullins eyeing a crack at the Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old finished third behind Gerri Colombe when stepped up to Grade 1 company in the Aintree Bowl last season and is a general 12/1 chance for the Christmas highlight.
Colonel Harry topped 16 confirmations for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday. The Jamie Snowden-trained seven-year-old heads the ante-post market for this weekend's big-betting handicap and will bid to give owners back-to-back successes in the race after Datsalrightgino, who was also handled by Snowden, struck in the contest twelve months ago. Venetia William, who enjoyed a remarkable across-the-card treble last Saturday, looks likely to be represented by Victtorino, while Broadway Boy, Midnight River, Senior Chief and Horantzau d'Airy all remain in contention.
Iberico Lord made a winning start over fences when seeing off Leave Of Absence, who put up a bold show on his first competitive outing in 758 days, by a length and a half in the beginners' chase at Kempton this afternoon. Last season's Greatwood and Betfair Hurdle winner was a 13/8 chance on his chasing debut and although he didn't always jump with fluency throughout, victory never looked in doubt as he moved into the slipstream of the longtime leader approaching the second last. Henderson, who won the same contest with Altior in 2016 and Shishkin in 2022, told Racing TV: "He started the race looking like a hurdler and finished it looking like a steeplechaser and that's what it's all about. It's got to be education, education, education and I think that's what happened, he learnt all the way. He could do with another race like this, I know they're boring but that's how we make them at the end of the day. If you want chasers they've got to come through the system, and he needs the education." Harry Fry's Grade 2-winning hurdler Gidleigh Park, who was sent off the 10/11 favourite, was pulled up, with the stewards' report revealing he was found to have an irregular heartbeat.
Latest David Power Jockeys' Cup Standings
60 Harry Skelton
52 Sam Twiston-Davies
48 Nico de Boinville
46 Sean Bowen
34 Harry Cobden
22 Bryan Carver
20 Charlie Deutsch
18 Jonathan Burke
16 Freddie Gingell (3)
16 Daniel King
14 Jonjo O'Neill Jr
14 Tom Bellamy