Festival dilemma for Tizzard after Mister Malarky eases to victory

Colin Tizzard has another Native River-like dilemma ahead of the Cheltenham Festival after the transformed Mister Malarky proved his first Grade 2 success last month was not a one-off.

The six-year-old's second Grade 2 success in the Sodexo Reynoldstown Novices' Chase saw bookmakers divided about his Cheltenham options and chances with the National Hunt Chase, colloquially called the 'four-miler', considered his best chance as a 12-1 shot, while his RSA Chase odds were halved to 20-1.

Tizzard, referencing that he had gone the four-miler route with Gold Cup winner Native River, said: "No disrespect to the horse but he might be one gear short of keeping up in the RSA, though I said as much about Native River before the four-miler and he didn't turn out bad as a three-mile chaser!"