Kingscliff heading to Wetherby

Robert Alner’s talented nine-year-old Kingscliff is likely to make his seasonal reappearance in the Bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby next month.

The gelding finished second behind the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ollie Magern in last year’s renewal before going on to land his first Grade One success at Haydock, where he held off the sustained challenge of Beef Or Salmon.

Alner is keen to take his charge down a similar path this season, with the Cheltenham Gold Cup remaining the chief aim.

“The plan is to go to Wetherby and then the Betfair Lancashire Chase at Haydock in November, which he won last year,” he explained.

“After that we shall have to wait and see, but his long-term target is the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

“There is every chance we will give him January off and then train him with March at the top of the agenda,” he told the Racing Post.

Kingscliff finished tenth in last season’s Gold Cup and can be backed at 33-1 with totesport to make amends this time around.