Why I won't be rushing to back Gerri Colombe for the Cheltenham Gold Cup

Gerri Colombe did well to pull the Ladbrokes Champion Chase out of the fire at Down Royal on Saturday – but with one obvious concern when it comes to his prospects for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Victory for Gordon Elliott’s chaser didn't look likely between the final two fences but, as in the Brown Advisory, he devoured the ground after the last, this time getting there to win by a neck.

The flaw in the performance was the same one noted at Cheltenham in March, when he couldn’t quite reel in The Real Whacker after getting too far back – a tendency to hit a flat spot before staying on.