Scudamore rates Cue Card main threat to Thistlecrack triumph

Cue Card, revitalised when storming home in Saturday's Ascot Chase, is the chief threat to Thistlecrack in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, the market leader's jockey Tom Scudamore said on Sunday.

Cue Card is only 6-1 third favourite for the festival centrepiece, but Scudamore believes he is a bigger danger than Colin Tizzard's other big player, the general 4-1 second favourite Native River.

Scudamore has never hidden his admiration for Thistlecrack, who brushed aside his Tizzard-trained stablemate Cue Card in the King George and heads the Gold Cup market at a general 7-4, despite defeat against the ill-fated Many Clouds in the Cotswold Chase last month.

Gold Cup card

The jockey, who has not sat on Thistlecrack since the Cotswold Chase but hopes to be reacquainted in the next week or so, said: "Native River keeps on winning but I don't think the Denman Chase is as strong form as his previous two victories in the Hennessy and Welsh National. The second Le Mercurey has his level and is rated only 151, while Bristol De Mai ran below form.

"He can do no more than win and he was going away from them at the end, but I'd take that form with a pinch of salt. He is unbeaten this season and deserves his place near the top of the market, but I was more impressed with Cue Card.

"It's never easy winning a Grade 1, and the further he's gone at Ascot the better he's gone – he's ended up trouncing them. He won as he was entitled to, but it was a mighty performance. Round two is going to be interesting. You've got to respect them all, but I see Cue Card as my main danger."

Scudamore was speaking a day on from not only Cue Card's ace display at Ascot but his own notable triumph in the Grand National Trial at Haydock on Vieux Lion Rouge - and the jockey was given a 33-1 quote by his sponsors Coral to add the Gold Cup and Randox Health Grand National to the King George he won on Thistlecrack and complete a famous treble. Jim Culloty, in 2002, was the last rider to win the Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season.

Trained by David Pipe, last year's National seventh Vieux Lion Rouge leaped to the head of the betting after dismissing Blaklion and is as short as 10-1 in places and a best-priced 14-1 for the world's most famous jumps race.

Grand National card

Scudamore added:"I don't think I've ridden a horse who's won a National so I don't know if he's a National winner, but he's been round there twice, won a Becher and won a National trial.

"He's got a bit of class so I see no reason why not. He won over two miles in his younger days and the older he's getting the further he stays.

"He really ground it out well and he was going away from them at the end. Blaklion will be meeting us on slightly better terms, but at this stage I'd have plenty of confidence in my fella."

Scudamore added: "Looking at last season, I rode him over three miles and he didn't quite finish, and for whatever reason wasn't seeing out his races over a variety of trips, but he's seeing them out a long stronger this term and really battling.

"The last two times, the further he's gone the better so I have no doubts about the trip. He's got to go and do it, but I don't see it being as much of a problem as maybe it was last year.

"We used to think he wanted soft ground, and David used to mind him, but Haydock was good to soft and quicker than I was expecting and he certainly handled that. He's pretty versatile with regards to that and ticks more boxes than most."

The 34-year-old jockey's spring could get even better if Moon Racer, another of his choice Cheltenham rides, can make his mark in either the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle or the Stan James Champion Hurdle.

"It's nice, a great position to be in," added Scudamore. "I'm very lucky to ride very good horses, but it doesn't really change how I approach things and you'd rather be on the shorter-priced horses than the longer-priced ones. One of those or the Champion Hurdle would be nice, but I wouldn't be one for getting carried away.

"I'm sure I'll get asked my opinion, but whatever route they go down Moon Racer will be ready. It doesn't concern me which race he lines up for and I'm confident in his ability.

"He's not a young novice and has coped with big fields in the past. We've had a lot of joy. I haven't ridden him as often as I'd have liked - only four times - but we're unbeaten and he's a pretty exceptional horse."