Bristol on course for Cotswold
BRISTOL DE MAI is “as good as ever” and ready to restore his dented reputation in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Nigel Twiston-Davies reported the grey, 57-length winner of the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, to be suffering from ulcers after his well-beaten sixth behind Might Bite in Kempton’s King George on Boxing Day.
But the Gloucestershire trainer said yesterday: “He hasn’t missed a day. The King George was very disappointing. It was desperate and I was gutted.
“But he hasn’t lost his ability in one race and he’s as good as ever.”
Twiston-Davies’ sevenyear-old can be backed at 25-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 16 — a race in which he finished seventh, beaten 20 lengths, behind Sizing John last year.
“He has improved since last year — he’s only just turned seven,” he added.
“I’ve heard him called a ‘flat-track bully’ because he won at Wetherby before he won the Betfair Chase, but people forget he was second [to Black Hercules in the JLT Chase] at Cheltenham as a novice.
“Daryl Jacob will ride him. He was going to go to Doncaster on Saturday, but he’s changed his mind.”
The Gold Cup trial will feature the return from wind surgery of Coneygree, winner of chasing’s blue-ribbon race in 2015.
“We know the engine is still there and hopefully the wind op will enable the petrol to get there,” said Sara Bradstock, who trains Coneygree in partnership with her husband Mark.