Tizzard’s terrier has me tempted to go Native in Gold Cup

At Newbury on Saturday A was for Altior and B was for Ballyandy, but C stood for an eminently possible Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in the shape of the ever progressive Native River who revealed a whole new range of weaponry in his arsenal when taking the Denman Chase.

A three-and-a-quarter length defeat of Le Mercurey – with well-backed favourite Bristol De Mai not firing – may not have form book aficionados reaching under the mattress for cash, but be under no illusion this was a very tidy performance.

We have all been guilty of assuming Native River was a one-dimensional grinder who had to seize the lead a long way out and gradually wring his rivals out like wet rags.