Richard Johnson rates Native River’s Gold Cup claims

Champion jockey Richard Johnson feels Native River has to be a “big player” in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup after his Welsh National win.

Beaten in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham in March, his three subsequent outings over fences have seen him win a Grade One at Aintree, the Hennessy and the Welsh National before he even turns seven.

It capped a great first half of the season for his trainer Colin Tizzard, who also won the Feltham with Royal Vacation and of course the King George VI Chase with Thistlecrack - who is now odds-on in places for the Gold Cup.