Road on track for Gold Cup bid at Cheltenham
NOEL Meade will aim Road To Respect firmly at the Cheltenham Gold Cup after his victory in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase - where current staying king Sizing John “was never going” and finished distressed.
The winner, ridden by Sean Flanagan, powered up the run-in to back up his other Grade One success in the Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase at Fairyhouse in April, leading a onetwo-three for owners Gigginstown House Stud.
The 16-1 shot - who was also victorious in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in March - was chased home by Henry de Bromhead’s Balko Des Flos (66-1) and the Gordon Elliotttrained Outlander (8-1).
Gigginstown were also responsible for the fifth and sixth, in Alpha Des Obeaux and Valseur Lido, but the Jessica Harrington-trained Sizing John was only seventh, with Willie Mullins’ Yorkhill one place behind him.
Paddy Power slashed Road To Respect to 8-1 from 20-1 for the Gold Cup, with King George winner Might Bite the 4-1 favourite from 11-2 and Sizing John out to 8-1 from 4-1. RaceBets and Betfair cut Road To Respect to 10-1 for the blue riband prize.
Meade said: “Everything went according to plan. The hood obviously worked well. Sean rode him the other day and he said maybe a hood might help him to settle early on. He settled great and he gave him a most beautiful ride.
“I suppose when it works out it’s always a great ride, but it was actually an absolute peach of a ride.
“He’s a Gold Cup contender now, so he’ll go for the Gold Cup. Whether he runs in between or not, I don’t know.
“I suppose if he did he would run back here, but we have to think where Disko is going to go as well. We’ll talk to Eddie and Michael (O’Leary) and see what they are going to do.”
He added: “I always felt we were travelling like a winner, but I didn’t let a yip out of me until they were 50 yards from the line.
“Sean has gone from strength to strength for us since he took over (from Paul Carberry as stable jockey) and we couldn’t be happier. We get on very well together and he rides very well. The more confidence he gets, the better he is riding.
“We were very hopeful as he was in terrific form. We knew he was in great shape and we were just hoping that he’d keep improving.
“He had to improve a lot to get up there, he had another 10lb to get up there. We thought he had, as he did a bit of work in Fairyhouse last week and did it very well.”
Flanagan said: “There was no hiding place and it was a true-run race.
“To be fair when I got a bit of room he came alive. He’s got loads of speed. He’s a very good horse.”
“I wouldn’t be worried about the Gold Cup distance as he settled well there and he has won at the track before.”
The seven-year-old Sizing John was reported to be distressed following the race and found to be clinically abnormal after being examined by veterinary staff.
Rider Robbie Power said his mount “was never going”, adding: “He just didn’t spark today, the vets have found there’s something wrong with him, so he’ll get home safely tonight and Jessie’s vets will look at him in the morning.”
Native River will step up his preparations ahead of a potential return in the BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on January 27 with a racecourse gallop next week.
The extended three-mile-one-furlong contest is one of two Grade Two races, alongside the Betfair Chase at Newbury on February 10, being considered as a possible starting point for the seven-year-old by trainer Colin Tizzard.
Last year’s Hennessy Gold Cup and Welsh National winner has not been seen since finishing third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
Tizzard said: “He is going to have a racecourse gallop next week and he is ready now for that.”