Cue big celebration if Tizzard’s vet
CUE CARD (3.30) can prove one of the most popular winners of the week by taking a Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup that looks as tight and competitive as any for years, given the absence of some obvious stars.
Opinion seems to be split 50-50 as to whether Cue Card was about to win last year’s race when falling three out – his early jumping had been sketchy too. He was no match for his brilliant The (now injured) stablemate Thistlecrack in the King George at Kempton when looking below par, but the 11-year-old was scintillating in the Ascot Chase.
Twice a winner at the meeting, few would begrudge Colin Tizzard’s veteran winning again at his sixth Festival. Tizzard is also well represented by Native River, beaten in the fourmiler here last season yet much improved since.
He has already collected the Hennessy Gold Cup and the Coral Welsh National this term although he did have hard races in both.
Henry de Bromhead seems to have improved Champagne West since taking it over from Philip Hobbs this season and he comes right into the reckoning on his impressive win over a big field in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park.
Outlander has kept improving since joining the exodus of horses from Willie Mullins to Gordon Elliott at the start of the campaign and he had last year’s second and third (Djakadam and Don Poli) behind him when winning the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. Willie