The Changing Man to strike Gold in the Cup at Newbury

THE Changing Man can secure victory in the Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (2.55pm) at Newbury this afternoon.

- ALAN CROWHURST

While The New Lion can get the better of Constitution Hill in the Grade One BETMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle (GBB Race) (2pm) at Newcastle.

Joe Tizzard's consistent eight-year-old can finally grab another big-race success and land the feature in Berkshire.

The Tizzard stable is one of a few in Britain who are in red-hot form and continue to land winners. And The Changing Man can give current trainer at Milborne Port, Joe Tizzard, victory in the race his father and predecessor Colin Tizzard won with stable star and 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Native River in 2016.

The Changing Man progressed well during his novice campaign last season winning the Grade Two Reynoldstown Novices' Chase at Ascot while being runner-up four times and third in the Grade One Mildmay Novices' Chase at the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse in April.

One of his second-placed finishes last season was when runner-up to the Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore-trained Myretown in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival a month before stepping up to Grade One level at Aintree.

He also arrives at Newbury on the back of another creditable run when runner-up to Henry's Friend over three miles at Ascot on his seasonal return at the start of the month.

With that run under his belt and with potentially more improvement to come stepped up to this 3m2f trip, The Changing Man can land a deserved success.