Cue Card could be a fascinating addition to the Peterborough Chase when the race is staged at Taunton on Thursday. The Grade Two race will be salvaged from the Huntingdon card that was wiped out by snow on Sunday, under plans announced by racing’s ruling body on Monday night, and those efforts could be rewarded with a popular and high-profile new entrant.
While Cue Card is still in the King George in a fortnight’s time, the Tizzard family who train him indicated they would seek an easier target in the aftermath of his heavy defeat in the Betfair Chase last month. “We’ll have to have a look at that,” said Joe Tizzard, on learning that the race would be opened up to new runners.
Cue Card would be likely to meet Top Notch, God’s Own, Josses Hill and Sire De Grugy, who were declared to run in the race on Sunday. “He’s in good nick,” Tizzard said of the horse, who finished tired when trailing home 57 lengths behind Bristol De Mai at Haydock a fortnight ago, but was still able to hold off the other runners for second place.
A step down in trip to the two and a half miles of the Peterborough would hold no fears for Cue Card, who hosed up in a Grade One in February over a similar distance. Taunton, however, is a sharper track than he usually encounters.
Tizzard was upbeat about the King George prospects of Thistlecrack, winner of the Boxing Day race last year but a disappointing fifth over hurdles on his recent comeback from injury. “He’s definitely on song for Kempton,” the assistant trainer said. “We haven’t missed a day with him since Newbury. He looks sharper at home since he’s had that run. He’s tightened up, no question about it. He went straight back into full work and I hope you’ll see an improved horse at Kempton.
“I can only put it down to a lack of match practice and fitness. He’s always been a big, gross horse and I thought he was fitter than he was before Newbury. But he travelled really well and jumped every bit as well as he can. Looking back, he could have needed a race at the start of last year but he had three easy races before he got to the King George, so perhaps it didn’t show.”
Fox Norton is also a possible King George runner, though Tizzard said the team “hadn’t got that far” in considering what will happen next to the horse, a game second in Saturday’s Tingle Creek behind Politologue. “I thought it looked like he was going to stay on and win, two-out.
“He got to within half a length but the winner kept pulling it out. They were bullish about their horse in the week before, so I’m not saying it was a bad run by any means. He’s come out of it fine. He did well when we stepped him up to two and a half miles at Aintree last season and we’ll probably be looking to step back up in distance next time. His two-mile form is really strong but it’s in the back of everyone’s minds that he will get further.”
A step up in distance is also on the cards for Finian’s Oscar, who suffered his first defeat over fences when blatantly outpaced in the Henry VIII Novice Chase on Saturday and might turn out again this weekend. “It was a bit of a trial to see where we go with him and now we know,” Tizzard said.
“It was a bit disappointing but he’s not a two-miler. It looked like he might be at the opposite end of the spectrum, to be honest. It won’t be the Arkle for him. Robbie [Power] said he scared himself at the first and he was always after him, from then on. We did make an entry for him at Cheltenham on Saturday, just because he’s come out of that race so well. We’ll have to see.”
Meanwhile, Jessica Harrington said she would take a couple of days “to let the dust settle” before deciding whether Sizing John would be aimed at the King George, following his easy success in Sunday’s John Durkan. She reported that the Gold Cup hero “couldn’t be better” after that reappearance run.
Tuesday’s tips, by Chris Cook
Ayr
12.40 Saint Freule 1.10 McGinty’s Dream 1.45 Pineapple Crush 2.20 Craiganboy 2.55 Celtic Flames 3.25 Drumnagreagh (nap)
Lingfield
11.30 Mother Of Dragons 12.00 Wild Flower 12.30 Chip Or Pellet 1.00 Pretty Bubbles 1.35 Kyllachy Gala 2.10 Alsvinder 2.45 Little Boy Blue 3.15 Red Invader (nb)
Wolverhampton
3.50 Something Lucky 4.20 Zenovia 4.50 Captain Bond 5.20 Joyful Dream 5.50 Cookie Ring 6.20 Frozen Lake 6.50 Lagenda 7.20 Rowlestonerendezvu
