Lee has grounds for optimism in Bet365 Gold Cup
The first is the weather, as it is unusual for the nine-year-old to encounter his preferred conditions in the depths of winter rather than at the end of May.
The second concerns his owners, the Glass Half Full syndicate.
“One of the four people who own him is a man called Will Roseff and he happens to be a director of Bet365,” said trainer Richard Lee.
“Obviously we were very pleased to take Coral’s money when we won the Welsh National, but he wouldn’t mind winning back some from his company.”
Victory in the mud of the Welsh National just after Christmas fulfilled a burning ambition for Lee, who trains just inside the border in Herefordshire but has a Welsh postcode.
Le Beau Bai was third in the same race in 2009 and regularly runs well in the big staying chases when the going gets tough.
“The ground can never be too soft for him and it’s been wet enough where I am, so hopefully it will be the same at Sandown,” Lee said. “He ran well in the Grand National Trial at Haydock, we didn’t go to the National and this was the only race left for him apart from a three-mile handicap hurdle on Swinton day at Haydock.
“Touch wood, it has gone very smoothly so far, he did his last piece of work on Thursday.”
Dessie Hughes is responsible for the two Irish-trained runners in the field, Rare Bob and Vic Venturi.
Both failed to complete the course in the Grand National two weeks ago, and while the County Kildare trainer reports them to be 100%, he is hoping the ground is not too soft.
“Both are in good form and they are fine after Liverpool. The better the ground the better it will be for them.
“I’d like it to be good to soft,” said Hughes.
“I’m happy with the weight they’ve got and glad the weights haven’t gone up.”
Minehead trainer Philip Hobbs is delighted to see the heavens open for Roalco de Farges.
Hobbs said: “The more rain for him the better.
“He’s in particularly good form, and had a confidence-builder when he won well at Chepstow last time, but we are obviously taking a big step up in class. He’d have a squeak.”
