CUE CHASE SEQUEL
PADDY BRENNAN has warned today’s Betway Bowl Chase field to underestimate Cue Card “at your peril” as he looks to defend his crown.
Just like last year Brennan’s mount arrives at Aintree after a fall at the third last fence in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
And just like last year the 11-year-old can storm the Grade One feature over three miles and a furlong, according to Brennan.
He said: “I wanted him to be finishing at Cheltenham. As a result I got stuck behind horses, wasn’t ideally positioned and he fell. Sometimes you can’t do right for doing wrong.
“But he is the class horse of the race and you underestimate him at your peril – as he showed when winning this race last year after falling at the Festival.
“He hasn’t been out of the first two in five starts around here and an on-song Cue Card will be too good for these. Let’s hope he is.”
Brennan schooled Cue Card last week and trainer Colin Tizzard said he “seems as good as he has been all year”.
The Devon handler said: “He’s the highest-rated horse in the race. His rating is quite a bit higher than any other horse. He should run a big race.”
Silviniaco Conti, who won in 2014 and 2015, sat out last year’s race but is back for the first time since being well beaten behind Many Clouds in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January.
Trainer Paul Nicholls said: “He is fresh compared to some. I probably shouldn’t have run him when I did at Cheltenham. The ground was too testing and he didn’t like it.
“If you go on King George form he was only beaten by Cue Card and that was a good run.
“If he runs anywhere like that, he will have a big chance. The ground is right – he loves good ground and he loves that track.”
Empire Of Dirt only managed fourth in the Ryanair Chase at the Festival but did finish second to subsequent Gold Cup hero Sizing John in the Irish Gold Cup. Eddie O’Leary, racing manager to owners Gigginstown House Stud, said: “He has something to prove after Cheltenham so we’ll see what happens.
“If you forgot about his run at Cheltenham he’d have a chance.”
Meanwhile, Malcolm Jefferson reckons Arkle Trophy runner-up Cloudy Dream is in great nick for the Manifesto Novices’ Chase.
The seven-year-old was second to Altior and trainer Jefferson said: “He might even have improved for Cheltenham because he certainly hasn’t gone backwards.”