16-1 into 7-1: Step Back gamble in bet365 Gold Cup is mystery to Bradstocks

Step Back, who began the week as a 16-1 shot for Saturday's bet365 Gold Cup, was on Wednesday cut into 7-1 favourite with the sponsor and other firms – although news of the gamble puzzled connections.

Trained by Mark Bradstock for the Cracker And Smodge Partnership, the nine-year-old won Sandown's seasonal finale in style 12 months ago but was pulled up in the Grand National last time.

"We're really confused because his owner is a gambler but hasn't backed him," said Bradstock's wife and assistant Sara.

"I haven't told anyone we're running, so who the hell is backing him?

Step Back: clear at the last 12 months agoCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"We're a bit in the dark how he will run and we're putting on a tongue-tie, which is a new thing. He wouldn't run if the ground was too fast.

"It's nothing to do with us and I'm completely at a loss, although I hope it means it's a weak race and nobody is backing anything else."

Bradstock defended Step Back's tendency to jump right in the National, reasoning a minor foot injury – possibly picked up crossing the Melling Road – made it even more pronounced.

She added: "He was leaning right, but at the end something was definitely hurting and we're pretty sure it was his foot because he came back lame on his right-hind, which would explain it."

Nico de Boinville will school Step Back on Thursday morning and Bradstock continued: "I still think he's good enough to win off his mark, but he's tricky and not very robust.

"He has trouble with his muscles, which, touch wood, we're on top of, but then he's got these horrible feet and they give him a lot of grief.

"I certainly wouldn't be as confident as I was last year because he's just had a hard race in the National and then he'd had the perfect prep at Fakenham.

"That said, we wouldn't running if we didn't think he had a chance."

Ground conditions

Bradstock, who has a big day in store at Sandown with the team's Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Coneygree parading and a race being run in honour of her late father Lord Oaksey, is keeping a close eye on ground conditions, which she would like to be on the easy side but were described as good, good to firm in places on Wednesday.

Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said: "It's almost impossible to get a clear handle on the rain we might see in the next 72 hours – it's going to be showery and scattered.

"It looks like there's going to be some rain tonight and further showers after. Forecasters have us in the 4mm-12mm range in total."

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