Alan King seeking another super Saturday with Tritonic to make Cheltenham return

Alan King will aim for another big Saturday winner with the dual-purpose trainer ready to unleash his star second-season hurdler Tritonic at Cheltenham this weekend.

King enjoyed another memorable success with Trueshan's second victory in the Long Distance Cup on British Champions Day but will now turn his attention to the jumps with Tritonic, who eased to victory in the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton in February but has not been seen since disappointing in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival a month later.

Excuses were found for the McNeill Family-owned four-year-old's effort at the festival and Tritonic will make his comeback in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle on the second day of the Showcase meeting, heading a team of two at Cheltenham for King, which will also feature useful Flat performer and hurdler Dal Horrisgle.

The trainer said: "Tritonic goes to Cheltenham on Saturday for the Masterson, that's my plan with him. He wasn't well after the Triumph and scoped badly, it took a while for him to get over it and I couldn't get him to Aintree. We had to draw a line under it and he's back in very good form.

"I usually have very few runners at this Cheltenham meeting and it'll be the same this year, maybe one on Friday and one on Saturday, as I've got Dal Horrisgle in a couple of the races on the first day."

Alan King: trainer has enjoyed Group 1 success on the Flat already this yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

King has made a solid start to the new jumps season with 16 winners and is eager for ground conditions to soften for the bulk of his jumps team, which will also feature the dramatic bet365 Gold Cup winner Potterman.

The eight-year-old is being aimed at the Ladbrokes Trophy next month – a race King last won with the likeable grey Smad Place in 2015.

He added: "The team we have is very good, I'm just waiting for a bit of rain to really crack on – not just on the track but at home too so I can get the chasers schooled. They're in a very good place and as soon as the rain arrives we can really go forward with them.

"Potterman is in good order and came in quite late as we ran him into the late spring last season. I'm trying to get him to the Ladbrokes Trophy and that would be his target. He may have one run beforehand but he's about three or four weeks away from that."

Trueshan's Ascot success capped a fine weekend for King with four winners – including the popular Sceau Royal's winning return at Kempton – and he said: "It's been quite amazing. Great credit has to go to all the team at home and we'll make sure to enjoy it."

Racing Post Ultimate subscribers can read Alan King's exclusive stable tour from 6pm Tuesday evening online or in Wednesday's newspaper

Read these next:

'It's a meeting I've always liked' - Elliott to send strong squad to Cheltenham

BHA under fire over investigation into Bryony Frost bullying allegations

Pick up your copy of The Big Jump Off, our all-new 72-page pullout free in the Racing Post on Monday, October 18 and featuring the views of Tom Segal, Paul Kealy, Patrick Mullins, Paul Nicholls, James Willoughby, Katie Walsh, Richard Johnson, Keith Melrose, Chris Cook, Lee Mottershead, David Jennings, Gavin Lynch, Lizzie Kelly, Graeme Rodway, Dave Orton, Steve Mason, Tom Collins and more!