‘Bristol’ can make Gold Cup frame at big price

NO horse has landed successive Cheltenham Gold Cups since the mighty Best Mate (2002-’04) and that highlights the task facing Al Boum Photo (4/1 favourite) in two months’ time.

Having ended Willie Mullins’ agonising wait for blue riband success, the eight-year-old is in prime order for his back-to-back bid and heads to the Cotswolds with one run under his belt.

Al Boum Photo is unlikely to go off much shorter on the day so punters would be advised to wait until then, while Mullins also has Kemboy (6/1), the highest rated chaser in Britain and Ireland last season.

Kemboy has had little luck around Cheltenham in his three Festival appearances – unseating at the first in last year’s renewal – and he seems to prefer a flatter tracks so it’s hard to make a strong case at that price.

Colin Tizzard’s Lostintranslation (7/1) was brilliant in the Betfair Chase but something was amiss at Kempton and he heads straight to Cheltenham with a big question mark. Paul Nicholls’ Clan Des Obeaux (8/1) ran away with the King George but it was a strange contest and having come home fifth in last year’s blue riband, it’s hard to see the necessary improvement coming.

There could be more in the tank of Gordon Elliott’s Savills Chase winner Delta Work (8/1), while he could face an intriguing rematch with Nicky Henderson’s Santini (9/1) from last year’s RSA Chase.

Santini got the better of him on that occasion and Henderson claims that he is the “forgotten horse” of the division, although scrambling home at Sandown in November wouldn’t instil one with confidence.

Presenting Percy (10/1) went off favourite in last year’s renewal but has something to find on his fifth in the Savills Chase, while Tizzard has a top-class second string in Native River (14/1).

Fourth last year and third in 2017 as well as winning in 2018, he appeals as an each-way alternative, although the value option looks like last year’s third Bristol De Mai.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ nine-year-old should not be as big as 50/1 having been in contention with two to jump last year before slightly fading on the run-in and the likeable grey has been solely aimed at this contest.

A pleasing comeback run when second to Lostintranslation as his Betfair Chase hat-trick was just foiled further illustrates his monstrous odds given his proven class.