Forgotten horse: Twiston-Davies says Bristol De Mai is overpriced for Gold Cup

Nigel Twiston-Davies believes dual Betfair Chase hero Bristol De Mai is the forgotten horse of the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup as the local trainer eyes a second victory in the festival showpiece.

Imperial Commander provided Twiston-Davies with a first Gold Cup victory nine years ago and the Naunton trainer believes four-time Grade 1 winner Bristol De Mai is overpriced. The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned eight-year-old is a 40-1 shot with William Hill.

Bristol De Mai defeated last year's Gold Cup scorer Native River by four lengths in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, with subsequent King George VI Chase winner Clan Des Obeaux back in fourth.

The grey has run twice at the festival, finishing a three-length runner-up to Black Hercules in the JLT Novices' Chase in 2016 before finishing a 20-length seventh behind Sizing John in the Gold Cup the following year.

Twiston-Davies, who was attending a reception at the racecourse for the unveiling of the weights for the ten festival handicaps, said: “He seems overpriced for the Gold Cup. He’s in great form and has beaten most of the fancied horses this season.

“He's benefited from a break and I have no ground concerns. Softer ground may inconvenience other horses more than him but we'll be happy with what we're given. It's a very open race but I’m pretty hopeful.”

Twiston-Davies is readying a team of a dozen for the festival and rates recent Betfair Hurdle winner Al Dancer his best hope in the Supreme. The Dai Walters-owned six-year-old is a best price 100-30 favourite with Betfair Sportsbook for the festival opener and Twiston-Davies feels he has a "great chance".

He said: “If Al Dancer wins we can all go home happy and enjoy the rest of the week! He came out of the Betfair Hurdle really well, is in good order at home and must have a great chance.

“He's as good a two-mile novice hurdler as I've had at this stage and very exciting. He won nicely at Ascot and has already proved he's pretty good. He has a high cruising speed and softer ground would help him. He's definitely my best chance of the week.”

Nigel Twiston-Davies: readying a team of a dozen for the festivalCredit: Edward Whitaker

The prospect of significant rainfall at the track in the lead-up to the meeting could boost the claims of both horses. Clerk of the course Simon Claisse said on Wednesday: "If we were racing today it would be on the quick side of good.

"We're in great shape and the forecast suggests a blocking high is moving eastwards that could result in us getting between 35-40mm of rain between Saturday and Monday week. If the bottom end of that prediction for rain arrives we would be looking at good to soft ground for day one."

Twiston-Davies picked out the talented Ballyandy, who will contest the Coral Cup after being allotted 11st, and Go Conquer, set to carry 11st 7lb in the Ultima, among his handicappers to note.

Go Conquer would be a first runner at the track for owners Paul and Clare Rooney since November after they lifted the ban on trainers making entries for their horses at the track following equine welfare concerns this month.

Ian Renton, the Jockey Club's regional director for Cheltenham and the South West, said: "We're really pleased that Paul and Clare will have runners here next month and Simon [Claisse] had a very good meeting with their racing manager Jason Maguire.

"It was important for them to understand just how key a priority equine welfare is for us here and for Simon and myself it is our number one priority that we look after equine and human participants. We will never be able to entirely eliminate risk from the sport but we made it clear we're doing everything we possibly can to minimise it.

"The recent movement of our second-last fence on the Old course is an example of us listening to jockeys on any feedback or concerns and we like to bring in improvements like that whenever we can."

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