Racing: Exit Swinger can strike another blow for Nicholls

The distribution of some £2.3m in prize-money at the Cheltenham Festival will go a long way to deciding the closest trainers' championship for years. But today's inaugural Vodafone Gold Cup at Newbury, with a purse of £100,000, would come in handy to those concerned in the title race, primarily Paul Nicholls, who edged back ahead of arch-rival Martin Pipe yesterday with victories from Fountain Hill and Venn Ottery.

The new Gold Cup has been parachuted into the traditional pre-Cheltenham void and has attracted a 16-strong entry that makes it one of the best two-and-a-half mile handicaps to be run this season. The specialists over this intermediate distance have a limited (though developing) programme at élite levels and four of today's runners, Farmer Jack, Isio, Kadarann and Seebald, also hold an entry in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The four to concentrate on, though, are Hand Inn Hand, Exit Swinger, Cyfor Malta and the Irish raider Risk Accessor.

Hand Inn Hand is a horse who goes to school before he goes to work. He prefaced his victory in the Ascot Chase 35 days ago with a session designed to sharpen his jumping technique under the supervision of guru Yogi Breisner. It clearly worked, and trainer Henry Daly has planned a similar refresher course this morning. Hand Inn Hand's defeat of Impek was impressive both visually and on paper. Assuming his jumping holds up (a strong pace and wide, galloping track could help), he is a classy, unexposed, performer.

Exit Swinger made the transfer from Pipe to Nicholls during the close season and victory today would be particularly sweet. The nine-year-old failed to shine in his first three outings of the term, when claimer-ridden, but with Ruby Walsh in the saddle began to regain his zest and after running Edredon Bleu to less than two lengths won a conditions race at Wincanton in style. He has carried 11st and more on his last three outings and will think he is running loose today. Nicholls send out top weight Kadarann as well as Exit Swinger (3.30) and the presence of the former keeps the latter on a handy 10st 2lb. The hint should be taken.

From the three Nicholashayne contenders, Tony McCoy has chosen the veteran Cyfor Malta, one of the bravest and bonniest horses ever to look through a bridle. His fragility has always been in inverse ratio to his talent, which means he is a relatively low-mileage model, but at the age of 11 is on the downgrade and may need more leniency from the handicapper.

Tony McCoy was unable to take advantage of Richard Johnson's enforced absence yesterday by remains nine ahead of his rival in another unusually close seasonal battle. Johnson, who missed a winner yesterday, sustained bruising but no breaks in a fall at Taunton on Thursday and will sit out today as well. McCoy can widen the gap with Farnaheezview (4.00), fourth in a better contest last time, and Lonesome Man (4.35), who should appreciate the drop back to two miles.

Three runners in the Newbury feature, Exit Swinger, Risk Accessor and Clan Royal hold the Grand National entry but the day's accepted Aintree trial is at Doncaster. Amberleigh House, a head behind Clan Royal in the Becher Chase and third in the real thing last year, seems a better horse over spruce than birch and preference is for Royal Auclair (2.35), just behind Exit Swinger, giving him weight, at Wincanton last time.

The day's Graded contest is at Kelso, where big-money purchase Chivalry, the Cambridgeshire winner, may find his hurdles hat-trick thwarted by another of Nicholls's Saturday carpet bombers, Tragic Ohio (4.05).