Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: Hoping to be Lucky with Le Milos

Newbury

CAP DU NORD looks sure to go well in the race that he won very easily two years ago at Newbury on Saturday (1.20pm). At odds of 17/2, he makes plenty of appeal, particularly as the handicapper has generously dropped him a couple of pounds off the back of a really good (and somewhat luckless) run in the Badger Beer at Wincanton. His rider’s claim increases his chance further, and conditions could hardly be more suitable.

WALKING ON AIR can get his career back on track in the next (1.55pm). He made a really striking impression here last winter, scooting clear of two above average rivals, both of whose subsequent exploits make him look quite tidily treated off a mark in the low 130s. Nicky Henderson was talking him up quite seriously as a Ballymore horse after that and, although the wheels fell off at Aintree, he is given a chance to make amends here. The market has responded accordingly at 3/1.

PIKAR can win the Gerry Fielden (2.30pm). Cleverly trained by Dan Skelton, who nursed him and kept his novice status for this season, he repaid that patience with a fluent win at Chepstow on his seasonal debut. His mark hasn’t been damaged by that and, considering he was mixing it with I Like To Move It and Washington before falling at the last at Cheltenham last season, he should  be very competitive here granted normal improvement at 3/1.

LE MILOS is the selection in the feature Coral Gold Cup (3.05pm). A progressive horse last year for Tim Vaughan, when his sound jumping was a real feature, he took his credentials to a new level on his first start for this yard when bolting up from a fair field at Bangor. He’s a horse with a nice bit of pace, who should get into the rhythm that is crucial in this race. There are relatively few improvers here, but he certainly fits the bill at 6/1.

MONSIEUR LECOQ might be the answer to a tricky finale (3.40pm). He’s not necessarily the most progressive of these, but is feasibly treated on his best, which he often reserves for a flat, left-handed track, as he demonstrated here last spring. His price of 15/2 could prove to be generous. He got no further than the second at Ascot last time, but is perfectly capable of jumping round a big track.

Newcastle

SHANTOU LUCKY can win a tight little race that opens the TV action at Newcastle (1.35pm). Although only five, he’s a pretty streetwise customer, and ran really well at Fairyhouse last time, hence he is favourite at 11/4. He’ll find this a bit more straightforward.

CONSTITUTION HILL is impossible to oppose in the Fighting Fifth (2.10pm) at 1/4, but Tommy’s Oscar could be a bit of value for a place at 20/1, or for the forecast.

HAPPYGOLUCKY (6/1) can defy a long absence in the Rehearsal (3.25pm). This won’t be easy, but he was seriously impressive when last seen at Aintree in 2021, a performance that stands up very well here with an awful lot in his favour.