Gold Cup Contenders to Lock Horns in the Denman Chase at Newbury

Newbury takes centre stage this Saturday afternoon, with the Berkshire venue laying on a cracking seven-race card. The Grade 2 duo of the Denman Chase and Game Spirit Chase share top billing, with the former event traditionally attracting runners with Cheltenham Gold Cup ambitions, and the latter providing pointers ahead of the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Focusing on the Denman Chase, the race is named in honour of one of the most popular Gold Cup winners of the modern era. Hailing from the yard of Paul Nicholls and known as “The Tank”, Denman powered his way to a 20-length success in the 2008 edition of this (then known as the Aon Chase) before following up with a sensational seven-length success in the big one at Cheltenham. Since the name change, the race has delivered a stream of quality winners, including Gold Cup heroes Long Run, Coneygree, and Native River.

Native River (2018) was the most recent horse to complete the Denman Chase/Cheltenham Gold Cup in the same season. Looking ahead to the 2026 renewal, at least two contenders have aspirations of adding their name to that list.

Jango Baie Out with Concerns Over Soft Going

The big midweek news was that Nicky Henderson decided not to enter Jango Baie, who was second favourite in the ante post betting, citing concerns over the going with plenty of rain forecast to fall at the course over the week. Successful with Bacchanal (2002), Long Run (2012), and Shiskin (2024), the master of Seven Barrows had solid claims of winning the race for a fourth time with this son of Tiger Groom, though it was decided not to risk him with a tilt at the Gold Cup on the horizon.

A Grade 1 winner in his novice hurdle campaign, Jango Baie doubled his top-level tally when coming from a seemingly impossible position to win the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival. Expected to improve when stepped up in trip this season, he delivered on that assessment with an easy nine-length win in the Grade 2 1965 Chase at Ascot.

Following that win in Berkshire, Jango Baie played his part in an epic edition of the King George VI Chase in December. While only fourth that day, he lost nothing in defeat when going down by just half a length, with his finishing effort suggesting the stiffer Gold Cup test may suit. The seven-year-old is currently the shortest-priced British runner in the Gold Cup market, as he bids to become the first horse to complete the Arkle/Gold Cup double.

High Hopes for Haiti Couleurs

With four runners remaining, the Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs has worked his way to the head of the market. Now nine years old, this strapping bay is the latest star to emerge from the yard of the Pembrokeshire handler, following in the hoofprints of Grade 1 winners At Fishers Cross, O’Faolains Boy, and Lisnagar Oscar.

In common with that trio, Haiti Couleurs boasts a Cheltenham Festival win to his name, having landed the 2025 edition of the National Hunt Challenge Cup. Hopes are high that he may add the Cheltenham Festival’s biggest race to his increasingly impressive CV in 2026.

Following that strong staying success in March, Haiti Couleurs crossed the Irish Sea to conquer 29 rivals in the Irish Grand National. Fast forward to the current campaign, and the Gold Cup looked some way off following a pulled-up effort in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Newbury. However, Haiti Couleurs bounced back in stunning style when shouldering 11st13lb to a three-length victory in the Welsh Grand National last time out.

The Aintree Grand National remains an option for the stamina-laden star, but he may first attempt to emulate Burrough Hill Lad, Native River, and Synchronised, who all won both the Welsh Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

L’Homme Presse

Sitting just behind Haiti Couleurs in the list, and the only other runner priced at single figures at the time of writing, is the Venetia Williams representative L’Homme Presse. Now eleven years old, the mount of Charlie Deutsch may lack the upwardly mobile profile of his market rival, but a rating of 164 puts him firmly in the mix.

Formerly based in France, L’Homme Presse has represented Williams with distinction since relocating to Hertfordshire in 2021. Amassing over £500,000 in prize money, his biggest win came when producing a brilliant round of jumping to claim the 2022 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

With injury issues playing a role, L’Homme Presse hasn’t struck at the highest level since that success. However, he has performed with credit on several occasions, including when fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and third in the King George in 2024. With career form figures of 1-1-2 in Grade 2 company, he may at least give his younger rivals something to think about.

Course winner Leave Of Absence and Dan Skelton’s Grade 2 winner Riskintheground complete the line-up, but look up against it when facing this calibre of opposition.