Six horses will line up in tomorrow’s Grade 2 Coral Haldon Gold Cup, the jewel in Exeter Racecourse’s crown, and worth £70,000.
Tom George’s God’s Own will be bidding for a record-equalling third win in the race and there would be no more popular winner. He won the race in 2014, and again last year. Following his latest Haldon God Cup victory, he couldn’t quite repeat the same form, although he did run well behind Altior at Sandown in April. He’ll handle the ground and he’ll be a big player.
Representing Nicky Henderson is Janika who went close in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate at the Cheltenham Festival in March. He might find the drop in trip a tough ask.
Paul Nicholls, who has saddled three of the last nine winners of the race, will run Dolos, who has won three times over fences, goes well fresh and will be fine over the trip.
Charbel, trained by Kim Bailey, disappointed on his return at Chepstow last month and has a bit to prove, but he comes to the races in good heart and could run a big race. He beat God’s Own in the Peterborough Chase in 2018.
Lalor a Grade 1 winner on soft as a novices' hurdler and a Grade 2 novice chase winner last season, was well held when behind Destrier at Aintree when last seen in April, but has an excellent record when fresh.
But the nod goes to Destrier. He’s trained by young training wizard Dan Skelton, his brother Harry will be in the saddle and the pair have proved a potent combination.
Destrier was third in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree in April and is open to plenty of improvement. He acts on soft and he could add another string to the Skelton’s burgeoning bow.
The Join The Coral Bet & Get Club Novices' Hurdle kicks off the super seven race card. Unwin Vc was an eye catching winner of a bumper at the course in February 2018 and he followed up at Wincanton under penalty six weeks later. He’s run well at Exeter in two hurdle races and he’s a contender if he’s ready for the run.
Another contender is the Harry Fry-trained Rufio, who has shown plenty of promise in a couple of bumpers and is capable of a decent hurdles debut.
In the D & S Commissioning Novices' Hurdle Fry saddles Bullionaire, a winner on his bumper debut back in March 2017 who was subsequently pulled up on his hurdles debut in May.
Paddleyourowncanoe bids for a course double in the Coral Novices’ Hurdle. Trained by Colin Tizzard, he won a three mile noice chase in good style in October and should go close again.
There’s a cracking race in prospect in The Smart Money's On Coral Handicap Chase where Perfect Candidate can maintain Fergal O’Brien’s good run of form while in the Visit The New coralchampionsclub.co.uk Website Handicap Hurdle David Pipe could squeeze a bit more from Queen Adelaide.
In the Win 50 Cash With Correct4 On coral.co.uk Handicap Hurdle Emma Lavelle saddles Pemberley who was beaten a neck at Wincanton in March, staying on well in the closing stages.
You will have to be there to watch the action unfold, get your tickets here from £10 until 23:59 tonight.