Lostintranslation set for Haydock
JOE TIZZARD is confident that rising star Lostintranslation can live up to the hype in tomorrow’s Betfair Chase at Haydock – the first Grade One race of the National Hunt season.
Winner of a top-level novice chase at Aintree’s Grand National meeting, the horse was foot perfect when making a winning comeback at Carlisle earlier this month.
And Tizzard, assistant trainer to his father Colin, is confident that the seven-year-old second season chaser can prevail in this select four-runner contest that will see the grey Bristol De Mai attempt to join the jumping greats by winning this prestigious race for a third successive year.
“We could not be happier with Lostintranslation. He is in great form and this is the right next step for him,” said Tizzard last night.
“He jumped superbly and just ticked all the boxes at Carlisle and, whilst he needs to improve, he had a good blow after the race and will have come on for that. This is his sternest to date, but the Betfair Chase has always been the plan and hopefully he can run a big race.”
As well as Bristol De Mai, trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies has entered the mudlark Ballyoptic who was a gutsy winner of Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase.
The field is completed by Bryony Frost’s mount Frodon as champion trainer Paul Nicholls looks to add to his record six wins in this three-mile race. Four of those successes came courtesy of the legendary Kauto Star while Silviniaco Conti prevailed in 2012 and 2014 for Nicholls.
■ Glen Forsa is likely to reappear at Newbury’s Ladbrokes Trophy meeting next week.
Mick Channon’s seven-year-old rattled off a hat-trick last term in novice chases, culminating with a 19-length verdict over Kalashnikov in the rearranged Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Sandown.
An early casualty in the Arkle at Cheltenham, jockey Johnny Burke’s mount then made several bad mistakes at Aintree before being pulled up.
“There is an open handicap at Newbury over two and a half miles and that is where he starts,” said assistant trainer Jack Channon.
“I think we will look at keeping at two and a half miles, but we will see how it goes.”
Stablemate Mister Whitaker galloped with Glen Forsa this week and after getting back to winning ways at Cheltenham in April, is on course to run in the Ladbrokes Trophy – formerly in the Hennessy.
Channon said: “We are keen to try him over the three-mile route.
We are hoping the test of the Ladbrokes Trophy will suit him and it is something we have been wanting to explore for a little while. Hopefully that will bring the best out of him.”
■ Malton trainer Ruth Jefferson’s Buster Valentine was a gutsy winner of Market Rasen’s handicap chase under Henry Brooke. This progressive horse, owned by the Mount Fawcus Partnership, has now won three of his six starts and is one to follow.