Hennessy Festival highlight of today's events

Looking for something to do in West Berkshire today? We've put together a few ideas for you

THE Hennessy Gold Cup is promising thrills, spills and a host of celebrities for racegoers – and the first chance for motorists to use the new bridge from Hambridge Road to Newbury Racecourse.

Crowds of 18,000 are expected to attend the biggest day in Newbury Racecourse’s calendar on Saturday.

The three-day bet365 Festival starts today (Thursday) and culminates in the 59th Hennessy Gold Cup – one of the most prestigious and valuable races in Jump racing – at 3pm on Saturday.

Actor and comedian Rob Brydon, TV presenter Jeremy Kyle, TV chef Heston Blumenthal and Olympic gold medal-winning athlete Denise Lewis are among the celebrities rumoured to be attending.

This year’s favourite, Coneygree, was ruled out of the race on Tuesday, and there has been a big shake-up in the betting. The Paul Nicholls-trained six-year-old Saphir Du Rheu is now the market leader at most bookies with odds of 3/1.

Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson will be hoping his second-favourite Bobs Worth can land the £200,000 prize at odd of 6/1.

The new bridge that connects Hambridge Road to Newbury Racecourse will be opened for the first time today (Thursday) and remain open throughout the Bet365 Festival.

However, it will close immediately afterwards so that further improvement works can take place.

The weather looks like it might just about hold out, with no rain forecast in Newbury until after 3pm on Saturday.

Last year saw the subsequent Grand National winner Many Clouds win the race for Lambourn trainer Oliver Sherwood.

See next week’s Newbury Weekly News for pictures and reaction from this year’s big race, and this week’s sports pages for more pre-meet news.

In a bumper wekend for sport, Newbury Blues will take on Towcestrians at Monks Lane, while there is also FA Trophy action as Hungerford host Thamesmead at Bulpit Lane.