The Colin Tizzard-trained Cue Card faces five rivals in Saturday’s Grade One Betfair Ascot Chase as he gears up for another tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Cue Card won this race in 2013 with the 11-year-old son of King’s Theatre drops down in trip to two-miles and five furlongs for the contest in order to sweeten him up for next month’s Blue Riband event at Prestbury Park.
A faller three fences from home in last year’s Gold Cup when looking to hold every chance, Jean Bishop’s gelding heads into this year’s renewal as trainer Colin Tizzard’s potential third string behind favourite Thistlecrack and Native River.
However, it would be unwise to write off the gelding who enjoys running at Cheltenham.
Regarding Saturday’s £150,000 contest, Tizzard told the Racing Post:
We won it a few years ago before he went on to land the Ryanair. I remember looking at it last year and thinking we should have had him in it, so we always planned after the King George to come straight for this. Basically we just want to keep him going and I don’t want him standing around for too long. He doesn’t need three months between races.
Tizzard’s charge faces five rivals headed by Rebecca Curtis’ duo Irish Cavalier, who beat Cue Card in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby earlier this year and Shantou Flyer. Gary Moore’s returning chaser Traffic Fluide, who ran a good race at Newbury last Saturday behind Altior in the Game Spirit Chase after a long time off the track also runs.
Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Taquin Du Seuil, trained by Jonjo O’Neill, and Philip Hobbs’ Royal Regatta complete the six-runner line-up.
Alluding to the Gold Cup Tizzard added:
Jean Bishop has always dreamed of winning the Gold Cup with this horse and he missed out last year, so we’ll have another go this year.
Comments.
Loading comments…