'He's absolutely at his peak' - Protektorat owner dreaming of Gold Cup glory

John Hales is dreaming that 2023 will be the year he achieves his long-held ambition to win the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, with the leading owner growing in confidence that Protektorat can be the horse who finally breaks his hoodoo in jump racing's greatest prize.

A general 9-1 shot for the Gold Cup, Protektorat was an impressive winner of the Betfair Chase on his seasonal reappearance and is set to go on trial for the festival at Cheltenham on January 28.

"You'll see him in the Cotswold Chase," said Hales, who owns Protektorat in partnership with daughter Lisa, Sir Alex Ferguson and Ged Mason. "We want to give him a prep race around Cheltenham and then go straight to the festival. He's been fine since Haydock and [trainer] Dan Skelton is very happy with him."