'He's got to come through this' - D-day for big Gold Cup hope Chantry House

Saturday: 2.30 Cheltenham
Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (Grade 2) | 3m1½f | 5yo+ | ITV/RTV

Chantry House goes on trial for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup after performing well below his best in the King George VI Chase last month.

The sense of expectation surrounding the eight-year-old can be gauged from the fact he was sent off 3-1 favourite against rivals who included last year’s Gold Cup hero Minella Indo plus Paul Nicholls heavyweights Clan Des Obeaux and Frodon who both excel at Kempton.

Chantry House, an authoritative winner of the Grade 1 Marsh Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last year, had made a faultless seasonal reappearance when hammering The Big Breakaway by 37 lengths at Sandown.

Now he finds himself needing to re-establish his Gold Cup claims after a Kempton no-show in which Nico de Boinville sensibly pulled him up after the 12th fence.

Henderson said: “We’ve put cheekpieces on to try and help him. I suppose everyone will look at Kempton and ask what went wrong but it all just happened very quickly, it was essentially his first time out of novice company where he was able to dictate a race.

“They just went too quick, we know that, and it got lots of horses out of their comfort zone. He’ll just have to be a little bit sharper, and he will with the cheekpieces on. They’ll help him face up to it. He’s in really good order, he’ll love the ground.

“It’s an important race, he’s got to come through this. I still hope he’s our Gold Cup horse, but I guess we’ll have to find out.”

Santini out to prove fire still burns

Santini, winner of the Cotswold Chase two years ago before his neck defeat by Al Boum Photo in the Gold Cup, left Nicky Henderson after a frustrating 2020-21 campaign.

He has never looked quite the same horse since that desperately close call, but Polly Gundry, who now trains the ten-year-old, reports him in great shape.

Santini badly needed the run when fourth to Commodore under 11st 12lb in a Cheltenham handicap last month, and Gundry expects a bold bid.

Santini: will be partnered by Nick ScholfieldCredit: Edward Whitaker

“He’s come on a stack since that run,” she said. “He’s much lighter and we’ve done stacks of work with him.”

Harry Skelton partnered Santini last time out, but connections are keen to use Nick Scholfield as Skelton is likely to be claimed for Protektorat in the Gold Cup.

“Nick has been down four or five times in the last month, and I think they’ll get on well,” Gundry said.

“The ground may be a bit quicker than ideal, but he’s got a lovely, low, long-striding action and he should handle it. We’ve taken him to Larkhill for a couple of racecourse gallops and he’s a very happy bunny.”

Simply The Betts has ground in favour

Simply The Betts, a general 25-1 shot for the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase, still has to conclusively prove his stamina at three miles and beyond.

The Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old, winner of the novice handicap chase on this card two years ago before his victory in the Plate Handicap Chase when with Harry Whittington, was pulled up behind Protektorat over 3m1f at Aintree last month.

But he bounced back to form when second to the progressive Vienna Court at Cheltenham’s New Year’s Day fixture and, in receipt of 4lb from both Aye Right and Chantry House, it is no surprise he is second favourite.

Nicholls said: “He ran well here on New Year’s Day. He’s not won over this trip yet but if he does it'll be on good ground. The last time he ran on it at Aintree it was very testing. He loves Cheltenham and a small field should see him go well.”

What they say

Harriet Graham, trainer of Aye Right
We had to make a decision between carrying lumps of weight at Doncaster or going to Cheltenham. We want to see if he’s good enough for the Gold Cup. On official ratings he’s only 1lb behind Chantry House and that’s why we’re going there on Saturday.

Tom Gretton, trainer of Kauto Riko
I wasn’t happy with the prospect of watered ground in January at Doncaster, so Cheltenham seems the sensible option. He’s effective in small fields, and there are only five runners. He’s never been this far, but I think he has every chance of getting it on good ground.

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