Tizzard eager to play his trump Card in Supreme
The five-year-old was installed as favourite for the Festival curtain-raiser immediately after his devastating success in last year’s Champion Bumper, and he has done nothing wrong since switching his attentions to jumping.
Following novice victories at Aintree and at Cheltenham, he chased home current Champion Hurdle favourite Menorah in the International Hurdle.
Tizzard feels that form makes him the one to beat, but he is respectful of the opposition.
“We’ve done all our work with him now and the horse is in really good form. We can’t wait for it now. It’s been a long time coming,” said Tizzard.
“He hasn’t run since December, but that wouldn’t worry me at all. He’s been for a racecourse gallop and he’s in absolutely brilliant order.
“He’s had a bit of sun on his back and I really couldn’t be happier with him, but having said all that it is a horse race.
“He’s got the best form but we don’t know what’s lurking there. It’s championship racing. It isn’t pot hunting, this is the business and we’re lucky to have a horse like him to run in these races.
“He has the form and he has the Cheltenham form, so it’s all there. There’s nothing more I can say about this horse.
“Of course you feel the nerves, but we’re looking forward to it.”
Cue Card faces 14 rivals with Nicky Henderson saddling Spirit Son, Sprinter Sacre and Gibb River.
Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins relies on Zaidpour, while Tommy Stack’s mare Magen’s Star is another interesting challenger from the Emerald Isle.
Totesport Trophy winner Recession Proof, the Paul Nicholls-trained Al Ferof and Brian Ellison’s juvenile Marsh Warbler are other major players.
Last year's winning combination of trainer Philip Hobbs and jockey Richard Johnson have something of an outsider this time round in Dunraven Storm.
He has not run since finishing a disappointing last of four to Toubab at Haydock in November, although he did beat Recession Proof at Ascot in October and was runner-up to Cue Card at Cheltenham earlier in November.
“He’d done nothing wrong. His last run was disappointing, but maybe it came too soon after Cheltenham,” said Johnson.
“It looks an open race apart from the favourite who looks hard to beat. Other than him it’s anybody’s and we hope for the best.”
Zaidpour was a brilliant winner of the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse earlier in the campaign, but has let down favourite backers twice since and Mullins is concerned conditions are going to be too quick at Prestbury Park.
“I think he’s got the experience for a race like this but it looks like the ground is going to be too dry for him,” said Mullins.
“It’s only going to get drier, which is why I chose to run him the first day, but the ground remains a big worry.”
Recession Proof's trainer John Quinn is hoping his horse is up to the task following his Newbury success.
“He’s trained really well and we’re very pleased with him. It’s just if he’s good enough to win,” said the Malton handler.
“He just keeps pulling out a bit more so we just hope for a good run.”
Connections of Magen's Star are hoping the ground is not too quick for the mare, who is unbeaten in two races over hurdles.
“She’s going well. She‘s highly-rated on the Flat and has won both her hurdle races over here,” said trainer Tommy Stack‘s assistant Fozzy.
“Though they weren‘t very good races, she has won them well and will take her chance. We just hope the ground isn‘t too fast for her.
“We‘ll have a look in the morning and make our minds up from there. We‘d like to run her in it.”
Brian Ellison made a late decision let his four-year-old Marsh Warbler line up in this race rather than letting him take his chance in Friday's JCB Triumph Hurdle.
The Malton handler feels he has been left with little option due to the drying conditions, but he is ultra confident his charge will make his presence felt.
“It was a late decision but we just feel the ground will be suit him better tomorrow than it probably will do on Friday,” said Ellison.
“We didn’t make a decision until 9.30am this morning but we just felt the ground is going to get quicker during the week and we were best taking our chance on the first day.
“He gets the four-year-old allowance and four-year-olds have run well in this race. Binocular just got beat as a four-year-old a few years ago and Hors La Loi III won it.
“I don’t think our horse ever got the credit he deserved for winning that Grade One at Chepstow. He absolutely bolted in.
“The second horse (Houblon Des Obeaux) came out and won, so you can’t knock him.
“I took him to Southwell to work over a mile and a half recently. He worked with a horse rated 97 and just went past him like he was standing still.
“He’s in great form and we’re hoping for a great run. I wouldn’t think he’ll run in the Triumph as well, it hasn’t even been mentioned.”
Spirit Son's owner Michael Buckley is hopeful his charge will go well, although he admits he still has something to prove. “He’s a very exciting horse. He clocked a very good time at Exeter in bad ground,” he told At The Races. “To be fair though, the horse he beat, Cedre Bleu, is a four-year-old chaser, whereas Spirit Son is a much more athletic looking horse.
