Bradstock targets Charlie Hall for Coneygree seasonal reappearance

Coneygree is likely to take his first steps towards a bid for a second Gold Cup triumph in the Bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby a fortnight on Saturday.

The Mark Bradstock-trained ten-year-old landed the chasing crown in 2015 and showed he is no back number when beaten less than two lengths into third place by this year's winner, Sizing John, at Punchestown last April.

Bradstock's wife Sara said of the stable favourite: "I'm confident we have Coneygree in great form as we lead up to the Charlie Hall. I'd want the ground to be good to soft or have plenty of give in good ground, or we might have a change of mind.

Preferred choice

"Wetherby is our preferred choice, but if it did come up too fast we'd have to have a rethink and the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal the same afternoon would come into the equation as it's imperative we get a run into him."

Last season Coneygree made his seasonal reappearance in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock where he finished second behind Cue Card, but Bradstock has all but ruled out another crack at the race.

She said: "We're not putting that race at the front of our thoughts this time around as the preference is Wetherby and then either the Ladbrokes Trophy [formerly the Hennessy] at Newbury or the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day."

Road To Respect enters Gold Cup picture with Punchestown victory