PLUS POINTS FOR GOLD CUP
A PLUS TARD is the 7-2 favourite to avenge his defeat in the Cheltenham Gold Cup next March after crushing his rivals in Haydock Park’s Betfair Chase.
Punters made the Henry de Bromhead-saddled seven-yearold, runner-up to stable companion Minella Indo at the National Hunt Festival in the spring, 11-10 favourite to win the Grade 1 test yesterday.
And Rachael Blackmore will have enjoyed few easier winners as A Plus Tard galloped to a 22-length supremacy over Royale Pagaille.
“It was a very enjoyable race to ride, I have to say,” smiled Blackmore, whose partner was cut from 8-1 to 7-2 with Ladbrokes for chasing’s blue riband, with Minella Indo next best at 6-1.
“He’s very special to me – he gave me my first-ever Cheltenham winner – and it’s not often you get to ride a Grade 1 winner in that fashion.”
A Plus Tard will now be aimed at the top-level Savills Chase at
Leopardstown – a race he won last Christmas.
“He has this preference for left-handed tracks – he seems a far superior horse on left-handed tracks – so it seems the sensible way to go,” added De Bromhead, who had earlier watched Bob Olinger make a winning start over fences at Gowran Park.
Lostintranslation, the 2019 Betfair Chase winner, rediscovered his mojo with a four-length call in the Grade 2 Chanelle Pharma 1965 Chase at Ascot.