Jamie Snowden is bidding for Coral Gold Cup glory again at Newbury, this time with Colonel Harry

The Lambourn handler is bidding to win the valuable three and a quarter mile test for the second year running having saddled Datsalrightgino to glory in the race 12 months ago.

Colonel Harry enters the Premier Handicap as the 8/1 favourite with race sponsor Coral after finishing in the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle on his return.

And although this will represent the first time Colonel Harry, who like Datsalrightgino is owned by The GD Partnership, will have raced beyond three miles Snowden expects the extra yardage to play to his strengths.

Snowden said: “I thought it was a lovely race he ran up at Carlisle in the same race Many Clouds won before winning what was then the Hennessy Gold Cup.

“Colonel Harry goes slightly left handed, which didn’t really help, but it was a great preparation and he comes here in good order.

“He has a similar profile to Datsalrightgino in the fact he was a Grade Two winner over fences as a novice.

“He is a second season chaser that has had a prep run, and he is unexposed over these staying trips.

“Going from two and a half miles up to three-and-a-quarter miles is a bit of a gamble, but he is a previous Irish point-to-point winner with stamina in his pedigree so you would like to think the extra yardage would bring about further improvement.

“It is a lovely position to be in and I don’t feel the pressure so much more so I’m rather enjoying the challenge.”

Paul Nicholls will rely on previous course winner Kandoo Kid, who scored at the two day meeting last year, to give him a third success in the race, and a first since the mighty Denman’s second triumph in the race back in 2009.

And the eight year old son of Kapgarde warmed up for his next assignment with a spin at the track during the annual Coral Gold Cup Gallops Morning on Tuesday alongside stablemate Inch House.

Nicholls said: “Kandoo Kid will run in the Coral Gold Cup as that has always been his target as he likes it around here. He is a proper stayer in my book and he loves Newbury. The race is all I ever thought of doing with Kandoo Kid.

“Inch House will go for the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase. He came in a month later after the others as he had an injury after his last start for Jonjo (O’Neill). He might just need the run as he is a month behind the others.

However, one horse who will not be appearing in the Coral Gold Cup is Bravemansgame with Nicholls hinting that the Randox Grand National will be the long term aim for the nine year old, who could run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

He added: “The handicapper dropped him a pound the other day and if he had been a bit more realistic and dropped us three or four pounds we may well have come for the Coral Gold Cup, but off 165 there wasn’t much point.

“He will probably run Saturday, then in the King George, and he will have an entry in the Grand National.”

The Ditcheat master also put exciting novice chasers Caldwell Potter and Captain Teague through their paces at the event and hinted that the Grade Two Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase at the track on Friday week could be the target for the former.

Nicholls said: “Captain Teague and Caldwell Potter have had a lovely day out and one of them will come back for the John Francome.

“We always thinking of going three miles at Exeter with Captain Teague, then on to Sandown for the Grade Two there and to Kempton Park on Boxing Day so I don’t see the point of changing that too much.

“I will enter both on Saturday, but I think two and a half miles around here will be great for Caldwell Potter, but I’ve got to discuss it and finalise it with the owners.”

And while Caldwell Potter, who was knocked down to his current connections for €740,000, had a few issues upon joining Nicholls he is reported to be back on the right path.

Nicholls added: “Caldwell Potter is no more glory at home, but the best ones never are. He jumps super at home, but he has got to go and jump around on the track.

“It is nice to get him close to his first run as last season I had nothing but problems with him, they were only minor problems, but he has been absolutely A1 this season.

“I think the summer out has done him the world of good and he has settled into our routine.”

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