Ustedes set for Queen Mother prep

Voy Por Ustedes will line-up in Saturday’s totepool Game Spirit Chase at Newbury, as long as the ground is not bottomless.

The current two-mile champion chaser was put in his place behind Twist Magic in the Tingle Creek in December.

But the winner’s subsequent defeat in the Victor Chandler and the fact that Voy Por Ustedes appears to be at his best at Cheltenham, is giving connections hope that their challenger can be the first back-to-back winner of the Queen Mother since Viking Flagship in 1994-95.

“He’s on target for Newbury and we would like it to be a dry week,” said owner Sir Robert Ogden’s racing manager Barry Simpson.

“He is a buzzy type as everyone knows. Alan (King) prepares him for his races and he peaks at the right time and he is ready to run next week, that would be irrespective of the ground unless it was absolutely bottomless.

“He does cope with it soft, he is just not at his best on it.

“He is ready to run though and the danger with him is that he can boil over if we didn’t get a run in to him.

“If he doesn’t run next week there is no other opportunity for him so he would have to have a racecourse gallop to get the freshness out of him.

“The two Tingle Creeks he has run in have been almost the same and while I am not saying that he doesn’t act around Sandown, I think he is a better horse at Cheltenham.

“Twist Magic beat us fair and square but whether he had finished first or last, like with all our horses, it doesn’t change the plan.

“Voy Por is the champion and we are there to be shot at but it is a long time since a horse defended their crown in the Queen Mother.

“One thing about him though, if you take away the blip at Newbury last year when he unseated, he is either first or second, he is very consistent.

“He is a proven performer particularly at Cheltenham, and that is a big plus.”

Voy Por Ustedes is 11-4 to defend his crown in the Champion Chase.