Sandown’s Spring Celebration moves into its second day, the flat having taken centre stage yesterday.

We’re back over the obstacles today for the Jumps Finale with three graded races taking place on the card, but this is the big betting race; the 3m4½f bet365 Gold Cup.

This is a race that takes some getting, though the ground is a little quicker than many of these runners have been used to over the winter. The field takes on 24 fences in search of the £95,000 first prize.

Many still remember this race as the Whitbread, an event with quite some history and standing in the game. Hewick and Kitty’s Light have won it in the last two years which shows what quality it takes.

Seven and eight-year-olds win the vast majority of renewals, though those aged nine are not out of it. Weight carried shouldn’t be a huge factor, in fact some class will be needed with these six being our horses against the field: 

Main Contenders

Amirite 

Any horse representing Henry De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore is bound to be popular, just as Amirite is for this race.

Since being given a handicap mark, Amirite has hovered at between 138 and 142 which shows class and consistency, though perhaps not a huge amount of improvement.

Back in October he was third to Whacker Clan at Cheltenham and then in December he was a good fifth at Leopardstown. He is capable, if fully ready and up to the job.

Kinondo Kwetu 

Sam England’s eight-year-old is 6-11 over fences and at this age it is likely that he’s still improving overall.

That’s not to say his most recent performances have been his best, which they haven’t, but he was fourth of 13 at 25/1 at Aintree recently and can build on that.

Kinondo Kwetu’s best performances over fences have come on quicker ground, so it could be that he’s overpriced in these conditions meaning he is one to watch carefully in the betting.

Kitty’s Light 

Last year’s winner is a very short price with his trainer Christian Williams typically bullish this week.

Form wise, he does come into this on the back of a very good run in the Grand National and we cannot argue with that. We also think however that his odds are simply not right.

He was in brilliant form this time last year. Kitty’s Light took down the Eider Chase, the Scottish Grand National and this race all in a row. He was on the crest of a wave when winning this race twelve months ago, but he’s not quite in that brilliant form now and he’s 5lbs higher in the weights.

Minella Cocooner 

Willie Mullins is having a right good go and winning the British trainer’s championship and he has two more top horses on our shortlist.

Eight-year-old Minella Cocooner was third in the Irish Grand National earlier in the month, fine form indeed, and he is progressing as you’d expect over the course of time.

Another step forward here means he is very much in with a shout, as long as the ground isn’t too quick.

Nick Rockett 

The other Mullins horse on the shortlist is Nick Rockett, a very interesting runner for us in terms of how much more there could be to come from the seven-year-old.

At this age he’s the youngest horse on our list and we like that. The other major factor is his defeat when favourite last time which could work out very well in our favour.

When that happens, prices go up. Nick Rockett’s second to American Mike two runs ago would be just about good enough form to win this race off his mark of 147 and of course we expect him to keep improving.

Indeed, had he landed the 4/1 odds last time he would have been coming into this off a much bigger weight and we could take advantage of that now.

Threeunderthrufive 

Paul Nicholls’ topweight has some task on his hands to hold off some of these improving types. Indeed, the trainer himself must feel sick at how the game has gone in the last few years.

Threeunderthrufive comes into the race as a last-time-out winner in the Swinley Handicap Chase at Ascot, in fact he too is getting better over time even if slowly.

He is good, but he may just prove to be handicapped out of this somewhat.

Summary

We cannot ignore the chances of Kitty’s Light, though at these odds you’d be mad to back him.

Kinondo Kwetu is interesting, but the one with the most potential is NICK ROCKETT and he is taken to land another big one for Willie Mullins.