Revitalised Calvados aiming to strike Gold

Trainer Harry Whittington believes Saint Calvados is ready to deliver on his potential in Saturday’s £160,000 BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham. The French import made an enormous impression as a novice chaser when he won the Kingmaker novices’ Chase at Warwick as a five-year-old. Locking horns with the brilliant altior proved too much for Saint Calvados, but Gavin Sheehan’s mount is still only six and Whittington believes he has a clutch of reasons to do better. Saint Calvados has had a breathing operation, he benefits from being battle-hardened and, having once been a tearaway, he is now far more settled. Whittington (below), who has chosen to run Saint Calvados in the BetVictor Gold Cup under the top weight of 11st 12lb rather than taking on the likes of Politologue in Sunday’s Schloer Chase, said: ‘There was so much hype about him and then he was not quite the horse we hoped he would be last season. ‘He has come out and won first time out this season when he had been slightly written off. ‘He had those hard races and it seems to have toughened him up rather than making him sour. ‘He is still only six, so he can improve for things like going up in trip. He has had the wind operation, so is now hopefully enjoying it and not making the running is a big advantage. He was there to be shot at against horses like altior. ‘For a six-year-old he is a giant of a horse. He is more the finished article now.’ Saint Calvados, a 10-1 shot for the BetVictor Gold Cup with the sponsor, won on his comeback over two miles at Cheltenham last month, but Saturday’s race will be his first at two miles four furlongs. Favourite for the big race is Slate House, trained by Colin Tizzard. He was 33-1 in the ante-post betting before winning at Cheltenham last month. it was his first success since defeating subsequent Supreme novices’ Hurdle winner Summerville Boy in a novice hurdle at Cheltenham in november 2017. Slate House, who has had two breathing operations and a knee problem fixed, heads the betting at 5-1.