Vyta Du Roc looks pure Gold in 2016 Hennessy at Newbury

Hennessy Gold Cup ante post tips: Vyta ready to Roc

The big betting race of this weekend is the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday (15:10) and Vyta Du Roc looks worth a wager at the odds on offer to provide trainer Nicky Henderson with a fourth winner of this prestigious 3m 2f handicap chase.

Henderson saddled Trabolgan to land the spoils in 2005 and has won two of the last four runnings courtesy of Bobs Worth (2012) and Triolo D’Alene (2013).

In Vyta Du Roc, the Seven Barrows handler has an up-and-coming chaser who looks to have the perfect profile for the race.

A very smart hurdler

The gelding was a very smart hurdler in 2014/15, finishing a fine fourth in the Neptune at the Cheltenham Festival and a solid second to subsequent World hurdle winner Thistlecrack in a Grade 1 at Aintree to be rated 150 at his peak.

Vyta Du Roc then had his attentions switched to chasing last season and, after scoring at Bangor, ran very well to finish second to Bouveril at Doncaster.

This seven-year-old then got back to winning ways when landing a decent Grade 2 contest at Ascot, showing tremendous battling qualities to fend off the late challenge of Minella Rocco by 1/2 a length.

Minella Rocco went on to land the 4m National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and ran a blinder on seasonal reappearance earlier this month when third in a valuable handicap at the same venue to now be rated 159.