Should be glee for Gree
IT may require something of a leap of faith to side with Coneygree in the Ladbrokes Trophy, but those that stick with the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero can be richly rewarded at Newbury today.
Mark Bradstock’s 10-year-old certainly has plenty of obstacles to surmount if he to claim this Grade Three prize, not least the likes of the unexposed American and
Willie Mullins’ favourite Total Recall.
However, Coneygree is a class act on his day – as shown at the 2015 Festival – and while things have not always gone his way, he is more than capable when given a chance.
Limited to just two starts last term, he can be forgiven for a laboured second behind Cue Card in the Betfair Chase and is much better judged on his cracking third behind Sizing John at Punchestown in
April.
His return in the
Charlie Hall at
Wetherby was something of a damp squib as he was pulled up after suffering an overreach, but the racecourse outing will have at least got his mind back on the game.
The Bradstock team have long had this event in their sights and they must be thrilled to see the ground is still on the better side as Coneygree now really seems to sparkle on good going.
Top weight is obviously far from ideal, but Coneygree has dropped a few pounds from his career high of 172 and that may just hand him the edge when push comes to shove.