The Newbury Winter Carnival 2025 day 2 card isn’t just about a cracking renewal of the Coral Gold Cup. Despite a big Irish contingent coming to Berkshire on Saturday, 29 November for the big Premier Handicap chase, the supporting races look interesting and informative.
A Listed novice hurdle for mares, plus a number of other handicaps, ensure competitive fare for punters. We’re talking about the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase, which honours the late and legendary horse racing commentator, the Gerry Feilden Intermediate Handicap Hurdle and Jim Joel Memorial Trophy Handicap Chase.
As conclusions to big jumps race meetings go, the Newbury Winter Carnival 2025 day 2 action is bang up there with anything this side of Christmas. A full field of declarations for the Coral Gold Cup isn’t something recent years could guarantee, so the £250,000 feature contest lives it up to its heritage as the Hennessy for once.
Navigating the handicaps over hurdles and fences are our experts. Thanks to their knowledge after dipping into the form book, they’re in a position to say what constitutes a bit of value on the best horse racing betting sites in the UK and Ireland at the prices on offer. Check out their Saturday selections for every single race on the card below…
Newbury Winter Carnival 2025 Day 2 Preview for Saturday, 29 November
11:55 – Listed 2m 69y Mares’ Novice Hurdle
Kingston Queen did finish behind Jamie Snowden’s La Conquiere in the Nickel Coin Mares’ Bumper around Aintree. It’s the fact that her hurdles debut form reads a bit better that swings the vote. Kingston Queen surged some seven lengths clear of a next time out Ascot winner. La Conquiere also bested one who went one better when last in action as well, but wasn’t so impressive in doing so.
Of the others in the line-up, Cheltenham Grade 2 third Jaminska has less on her plate here now back against her own sex. She looks well-handicapped for future assignments off a mark of 117 for Jane Williams, but could easily pick up some more black type here. Harry Derham pair Clondaw Park and Jasmine d’Airy won their last starts too.
12:30 – 2m 6f 93y Class 2 Sir Peter O’Sullvean Memorial Handicap Chase (0-145)
There’s another course winner in the line-up, however, in Greatwood Gold Cup hero BOOSTER BOB. The way he shaped here in March for Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen suggests he could have even more to offer over an extra quarter-mile or so. Booster Bob does have a 6lb hike from the handicapper, but the runner-up filled the same spot in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and third home has won twice since.
Both Wiseguy and Booster Bob have good records fresh, which will help them against race-fit opposition. That includes distance winner Hunter Legend for Venetia Williams, who steps up in trip after staying on from off the pace to be sixth in the Paddy Power at Cheltenham on reappearance. Scarface drops in distance for the in-form Joe Tizzard team, meanwhile, after second in the Badger Beers around Wincanton.
Also of interest us Hughie Morrison runner Eyed, who hit the frame in this grade back in the spring and has had a pipe opener over hurdles. At bigger odds, Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith are doing well with their string, so Prairie Wolf could outrun his odds. Paul Nicholls pair Brave Kingdom and Tahmuras haven’t been easy to train
1:05 – 2m 4f 118y Class 3 Novice Hurdle
Penalised pair Kalkbrenner and Kocktail concede 6lb and upwards to the field here. The Nicholls and Henderson stables have both won this event on the Newbury Winter Carnival 2025 day 2 card three times apiece in recent years, however. Ditcheat inmates to land this have been particularly smart, however, and so GRAND GARCON looks a bit of each-way value.
Although no match for Sober Glory, who looks bound for the Challow Hurdle here after Christmas, he kept on from well off the pace at Chepstow over two miles to snatch third. Splitting the winner and Grand Garcon was a useful Dan Skelton inmate Kadastral. Purchased out of a Punchestown Festival bumper for Henderson, meanwhile, was the four-year-old Buddy Holly, who makes his hurdling bow here.
Derham’s Kiwi Rush and Walk Tall from the Tizzard yard both make their debuts over the smaller obstacles as well. Of the two carrying penalties, the form of Kocktail Bleu has more overall substance to it. That’s because the Chris Gordon runner placed in bumpers behind subsequent hurdles winners Idaho Sun and Kripticjim.
1:40 – 2m 4f 118y Class 2 Handicap Hurdle (0-145)
Tom Symonds saw Lud’or bolt up at Bangor last time when making all, meanwhile. The assessor has hit him with a 13lb hike for that bloodless victory. Personal Ambition saw the form of his 2024 Premier Novices’ Hurdle success from Kelso franked last weekend when the runner-up, Jango Baie, landed the 1965 Chase.
Henderson has won this three times before since 2018, but nothing has gone right with East India Express this season so far. Emma Lavelle runs two with Royal Rambler fitter than Guard Duty, who makes his reappearance. Not to be outdone, Murphy saddles three but they don’t make much appeal. The long absent Sonigino returns for Nicholls, but Cobden rides French Ship.
2:15 – 2m 69y Gerry Feilden Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
ALEXEI adds the Lavazza Handicap Hurdle to his CV, with @brendanp1995 securing his second win of the day for trainer @JoeTizzard. pic.twitter.com/vqXygKVgLh
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) November 1, 2025
Lavelle has Ascot second INDEMNITY looking to go one better on the Newbury Winter Carnival 2025 day 2 card here after bumping into Alexei last time. The winner has since gone in again when landing the Greatwood in some style at Cheltenham, so that franks the form. Nudged up just 1lb after chasing home a now 147-rated rival, there must be mileage in Indemnity’s own revised mark of just 122.
As with any intermediate race, the Gerry Feilden boils down to working out how much further progress unexposed horses have in them. Elsewhere, Skelton saddles Live Conti off joint-topweight and this return to action is a lot easier than a Grade 1 at Aintree. Stable conditional Tristan Durrell takes the ride and 3lb off with his claim. Live Conti is one of a number of four-year-olds in the line-up.
Others include Give It To Me Oj, who held off a subsequent Grade 2 second when landing an age-restricted race around Cheltenham on his return to hurdling for Gary & Josh Moore last month. Tom Dascombe ran Fred Winter fourth Hot Fuss on the Flat in the November Handicap as a pipe opener for this, meanwhile, following a summer break.
Derham sends Viyanni handicapping for the first time off the same mark as that fellow four-year-old. Indeevar Bleu is a far more mature horse that hasn’t had much racing for Murphy. Aged seven, he uniquely qualifies for this contest after just four hurdles outings in two years. Christian Williams’ Last Rodeo was a gamble at Cheltenham before the ground turned heavy at the November Meeting and connections pulled him out.
2:55 – 3m 1f 212y Coral Gold Cup (Premier Handicap)
Cheltenham Gold Cup fourth Monty’s Star frames the weights for Henry De Bromhead, but stable jockey Darragh O’Keeffe rides Gorgeous Tom here. O’Moore Park has stamina to prove for Rich & Susannah Ricci, but bumped into subsequent Florida Pearl winner Oscars Brother last time out. John McConnell, Tom Gibney and Gavin Cromwell all have runners coming over from the Emerald Isle as well.
Forecast rain in the build-up to and possibly during the race will scupper chances for the home team. The likes of Henderson’s Hyland, King runner The Doyen Chief and Tizzard inmate The Changing Man don’t want it. Race fitness could be key, so RESPLENDENT GREY appeals most for Murphy. He proved his versatility when surprisingly scoring over two-and-a-half miles at Carlisle, beating Handstands.
Resplendent Grey should only improve for that run and has won over three-and-a-half miles before, whereas main market rival Myretown travels down from Scotland with only racecourse gallops under his belt. Last year’s third Victtorino is back for another go off 4lb higher in what looks a deeper race. Skelton runs Cheltenham winners Riskintheground and Panic Attack both 3lb well-in here. Katate Dori flies the flag for Wales and canny trainer Sam Thomas.
3:35 – 2m 92y Class 3 Jim Joel Memorial Trophy Handicap Chase
A young chaser going places! Javert Allen skips around @NewburyRacing like an old pro to score for @CM_Gethings and @NandJ_WilliamsR!
Eyes on the wily Harper’s Brook in second… pic.twitter.com/1NCJHTdTMV
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 18, 2024
Previous course and distance winners could have the concluding race of the Newbury Winter Carnival 2025 day 2 card between them. General Medrano won this in style 12 months ago, but now has 8lb more on his back. That means JAVERT ALLEN appeals instead for Jane Williams, who has sent three winners out from her modest yard in the second half of this month.
Etalon bombed out in this race last season and is somehow 1lb higher in the handicap now. Skelton doesn’t ease the burden of 12st 1lb on how back by using Durrell as Kielan Woods rides. Like Charlie Longsdon’s Rare Edition, Javert Allen has only had five chase starts and could have further improvement over fences in him. Irish raider Luminous Light also has a similar profile.
The most interesting runner here by far is Nicky Richards new recruit Doyen Du Bar. Harry Cobden is a most eye-catching jockey booking on this nine-year-old for the Greystoke stable at the opposite end of the country to Ditcheat. Doyen Du Bar beat subsequent winners The Kalooki Kid and Booster Bob during the first half of last season with that northern form reading well.
