'We hope he'll be a Gold Cup horse': The Big Breakaway embarks on chasing career

1.30 NewburyPertemps Network Beginners' Chase | 2m6½f | 4yo+ | RTV

On paper this is much tighter than the betting is likely to suggest with only 4lb separating four of the six runners on hurdles form, but The Big Breakaway is the one horse everyone wants to see.

Having barely broken sweat to win a pair of novice hurdles in November and December last year, the Colin Tizzard-trained five-year-old, an equally easy winner of his sole point, went off at just 8-1 against Envoi Allen in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

He disappointed connections by finishing only fourth, beaten 14 and a half lengths, but many of the Tizzard runners performed poorly at the meeting and The Big Breakaway, the joint-youngest in the field, may yet live up to his price tag (€360,000 at Goffs Punchestown) over fences.

It is not plain sailing on official figures, though, as with a rating of 144 he has just a 3lb edge over Kalooki, who made all for two comfortable successes of his own last season before being outstayed by Ramses De Teillee on heavy ground upped to 3m½f in a Grade 2 at Haydock.

He's a half-brother to the classy Kruzhlinin, who won the now defunct Fixed Brush Hurdle at Haydock and was a five-time chase winner, so he can be expected to improve for fences as well.

Just 1lb behind Kalooki are House Island and One For The Team, who also have solid form, the first-named having run a close second in the Grade 2 Winter Novices' Hurdle at Sandown, while the last-named won a handicap hurdle on this track by 14 lengths and was third to McFabulous in the Persian War on his return.

All three could give The Big Breakaway a fright, but you get the impression anything but a first-time-out win will disappoint connections, while the yard's runners, who have started slowly this season, are showing signs of hitting form.

What they say

Paul Webber, trainer of House Island
I'm looking forward to getting him going over fences and Sam Twiston-Davies has been in to school him a couple of times. It's a competitive race and I'd expect him to improve from it.

Nicky Henderson: runs the lightly-raced It Sure IsCredit: Edward Whitaker

Nicky Henderson, trainer of It Sure Is
He's a gorgeous horse who is better than he has shown as things didn't work out for him last season. He's done well over the summer and we're looking forward to seeing him over fences.

Philip Hobbs, trainer of Kalooki
He was progressive over hurdles and a runner-up in a Grade 2 in his last start. He's been a bit keen over hurdles, so hopefully he can learn to settle better over fences and he's schooled nicely at home.

Nick Williams, trainer of One For The Team
He's had a spin over hurdles, so is fit from that, and has schooled nicely. It looks a competitive race and this is very much a building block for the future.

Colin Tizzard, trainer of The Big Breakaway
We consider him a very nice prospect over fences and it's always been the plan to come to this race, which we won with Lostintranslation a couple of years ago. The trip and track look right for him and we hope he'll be a Gold Cup horse one day. His novice hurdle form is rock-solid. He's our best novice and we're looking forward to running him.

Study the form and watch unlimited full video race replays from all 86 British and Irish racecourses. Join Members’ Club Ultimate now and never miss a race again!