Vincenzo going for Newbury gold for in-form Sam Thomas

Sam Thomas was a whisker away from claiming two of the biggest races last weekend and he is seeking more Saturday riches with Vincenzo in the £100,000 BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury.

On the mark with easy winner Katate Dori in the valuable Ladbrokes Trophy at Kempton, he was narrowly denied in Fontwell’s National Spirit Hurdle when Nemean Lion got up to beat his Steel Ally.

Thomas is operating above a 20 per cent strike-rate this season and over the last fortnight that has risen to better than 40 per cent, so not surprisingly confidence is high that Vincenzo is capable of running a big race.

In three runs over fences this term, he has run over two miles and, despite winning two of them and chasing home Kalif Du Berlais at Cheltenham, Thomas feels he is crying out to be stepped up in distance.

“He’s been running like a horse recently that wants stepping up in trip and this looks the right time to do it,” said the South Glamorgan-based trainer.

“He’s been running really well, his form looks strong and hopefully he should run well again.

“He bumped into a good one at Cheltenham and the horse he beat last time at Sandown (Doyen Du Bar) has come out and won well this week, so the form stacks up.”

Thomas added: “The horses have been going well. We’re doing nothing different at home, they don’t look any different, it’s just that things seem to be falling into place. Long may it continue.”

Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero represent another stable on the up and while their big Grand National hope Iroko has been declared for this race, it was only as a second preference in case there were any issues with Saturday’s Premier Chase at Kelso, where he is due to clash with Grey Dawning.

They still have a very lively contender for Newbury’s feature in Billytherealbigred, who went out on his shield behind stable companion Jagwar at Cheltenham last time out.

Guerriero said: “He’s in good nick and flying at home. The ground has come good for him, as he loves that real soft ground, and I think he’ll have a great chance.

“He hasn’t got much weight, so we’ll probably try for a front-running bold bid and see how we get on.”

Paul Nicholls’ Coral Gold Cup winner Kandoo Kid, his main Grand National prospect, has his tune-up for Aintree but is no forlorn hope having finished second in the race 12 months ago.

“This looks an ideal prep race for the Grand National, which has been his target ever since he finished a close third in the Topham Trophy last April. I was thrilled with his stylish victory in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“While he is in great shape, we haven’t been super hard on him since then and a run now gives us five weeks to get him spot on for the National. Soft ground will not be an issue.”

Nicholls also runs Beau Balko and added: “He has a perfect light weight, with Ben Bromley taking off a further 5lb in a race we have won nine times from the last 18 times it has been held.

“Beau Balko keeps knocking at the door and put in another solid run when he was a good second at Musselburgh on New Year’s Day. I’d like to think he can finish in the first four.”