PartialLogo
News

Brennan delighted to be reunited with Cue Card in Ascot Chase

Cue Card: will have Paddy Brennan back aboard on Saturday
Cue Card and Paddy Brennan will be back together on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Paddy Brennan has described the opportunity to get back on board his horse of a lifetime Cue Card in Saturday's Betfair Ascot Chase as a privilege.

Brennan lost the ride on Cue Card to Harry Cobden in the build-up to the Betfair Chase last November but with Cobden required to ride at Wincanton for boss Paul Nicholls, the partnership that combined for five Grade 1 victories will be reunited.

"Obviously, I'm thrilled to get the ride back on Cue Card at Ascot on Saturday," said Brennan on his 32Red blog.

"I know there were a few names in the hat to ride him this weekend but I think it speaks volumes about Colin Tizzard that he has put me back on the horse after taking me off.

"Not many owners and trainers have done that before with me and it shows the people that Jean [Bishop, owner] and Colin are."

Brennan has ridden Cue Card 13 times and for all the highs there have been some crushing lows with two of the partnership's three falls coming in the Gold Cup.

The popular 12-year-old, who has been off the track since finishing a distant second to Bristol De Mai in the Betfair Chase, will face six rivals at Ascot, where the ground was changed to soft, heavy in places (from soft) on Thursday.

Standing in the way of his bid for an unprecedented third win in the Ascot Chase are up-and-coming chasers Top Notch, Waiting Patiently and Coney Island.

"He's a proven Grade 1 winner who loves the track and the ground and he is still the highest-rated horse in the line-up," added Brennan, who partnered Cue Card in a schooling session on Thursday morning.

"He really did feel as good, if not better, than he did when going into this race last year when I sat on him this morning. Win, lose or draw, though, it is a delight as well as a privilege to be getting on the old boy again. I love him to bits, whatever happens on Saturday."

Colin Tizzard: the top jumps trainer is 62
Colin Tizzard: happy to reunite Paddy Brennan with Cue Card at AscotCredit: Getty Images

Tizzard was happy to recall Brennan and also drew encouragement from the schooling session.

"Harry was required by his retained stable at Wincanton so we've opted for Paddy," said the trainer. "He knows him well and jumped him over two hurdles and four fences this morning and he did it beautifully.

"It's a top-class race but he's a top-class horse and with our horses in good form now, we'll see where he is with these up and coming ones on Saturday."

With Cobden partnering Cliffs Of Dover in the Betway Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton, another of his high-profile rides for Tizzard came available on The Dutchman and Danny Cook got the call for Haydock's Betfred Grand National Trial, which has attracted an unusually small turnout with just nine runners declared.

Cook, who will be having his first ride for Tizzard, said: "I rode The Dutchman when he was with Sandy Thomson and with Harry unavailable the owner was quite keen to get me for the weekend.

"He's a horse with a huge amount of ability and he seems to be thriving this season. Although he's gone up 13lb for his win in the Peter Marsh, it doesn't look overly harsh and hopefully he has a few pounds in hand."

Last year's winner Vieux Lion Rouge, who has an entry in the Keltbray Swinley Chase at Ascot on Saturday, will not bid for a repeat success but ante-post Randox Health Grand National favourite Blaklion, runner-up 12 months ago, stood his ground and leads the market at 5-2 generally with The Dutchman next best at 4-1.

The ground at Haydock remained heavy on Thursday with the outlook mainly dry in the build-up to Saturday's fixture.


Read The Briefing from 8.30am daily on racingpost.com with all the day's latest going, weather, market moves and non-runner news


Andrew DietzReporter

Published on 15 February 2018inNews

Last updated 18:24, 15 February 2018

iconCopy