HighStakesPlayer In Sodexo Gold Cup

Ascot hosts two cracking premier handicap chase races this afternoon.

Our target is the longer three mile Sodexo Gold Cup.

We trust that trainer Tom Lacey has Highstakesplayer fit and ready for this premier handicap. It is a valuable prize to the winner, and I believe Highstakesplayer remains well handicapped. He flopped on heavy ground last season at Newbury before proving that run too bad to be true with a good win at Kempton.

His win around Kempton was over three miles and he had won there previously over the same trip on soft ground. Those wins proved he stays well, and I love how he jumps his fences quick and clean. Highstakesplayer has won four of his five chasing starts with his loss coming on heavy ground. He looks nicely treated off a mark of 135 and only 10-11 on his back.

The favourite Chianti Classico won the Ultima Handicap Chase impressively at the Cheltenham Festival last March. He should go well but might need this race on route to the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.

Ascot 3:45

1 point each way Highstakesplayer 9/2 Betfred else 4/1 Skybet, 4 places.

Compare Odds at https://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing

Best of Luck,

Nicky

Past Results

Click to see past Big Saturday Race Preview Tips results

The Sodexo Live! Gold Cup is a Premier Handicap National Hunt race in Great Britain. It is a handicap steeplechase and is run at Ascot in late October or early November, over a distance of about 3 miles (2 miles, 7 furlongs and 180 yards, or 4,791 metres).

The race was first run as the United House Gold Cup on 28 October 2006 as a Class 2 race. It was worth £100,000 and was run over three miles. In 2009 the race was upgraded to Listed class and was further upgraded to Grade 3 in 2011. Sodexo sponsored the race from 2015 to 2020 and Bateaux London have been the sponsors since 2021.

Sodexo Live! Gold Cup Premier Handicap Chase Winners Over The Past 10 years

Year	Winner	Age	Weight	Jockey	Trainer
2023	Victtorino	5	10-12	Charlie Deutsch	Venetia Williams
2022	Our Power	7	11-02	Charlie Deutsch	Sam Thomas
2021	Larry	8	10-00	Jamie Moore	Gary Moore
2020	Regal Encore	12	10-10	Richie McLernon	Anthony Honeyball
2019	Vinndication	6	11-00	David Bass	Kim Bailey
2018	Traffic Fluide	8	11-12	Josh Moore	Gary Moore
2017	Go Conquer	8	11-00	Aidan Coleman	Jonjo O'Neill
2016	Antony	6	10-01	Jamie Moore	Gary Moore
2015	Pendra	7	10-07	Barry Geraghty	Charlie Longsdon
2014	What A Warrior	7	10-06	Harry Skelton	Dan Skelton

Best of Luck,

Nicky