Today's Tips: Bitofapuzzle can prove too smart for rivals at Thurles

Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Don Cossack has a straightforward task in this afternoon’s bid to complete back-to-back victories in the Kinloch Brae at Thurles.

Quite where he would have finished had he stood up in the King George is hard to assess, but he had just begun to master eventual winner Cue Card at the time of his departure, at the second-last fence and could be deemed a somewhat unlucky loser.

Given the way the race was run, that effort was further evidence he is developing into a strong stayer, and today’s drop back to two and a half miles may not be ideal. In light of the opposition, however, that shouldn’t be an issue and the Gordon Elliott-owned gelding can use this as a confidence-building exercise prior to a tilt at the ‘big one’ at Cheltenham.