Cotswold Chase Guide 2021

Three time Betfair Chase winner Bristol De Mai leads the market with his handler Nigel Twiston-Davies giving him a well deserved break after his win at Haydock and should now be fresh for this event.

Having finished runner up in the event last term the nine year old got back to winning ways in the event like he did in 2017 and 2018.

The Grade One event at Haydock suits him down to the ground and when the ground turned heavy before the off it made his task just that little bit easier, handling the conditions better than Clan Des Obeaux and favourite Lostintranslation.

The ground at Sandown will be as heavy as possible which will play to the strengths of the grey and looks to be the one to beat on current form and conditions.

Last season the eight year old made a winning start on his seasonal debut at Kempton but did leave room for improvement, he was much better next time out after undergoing a wind op which saw him race on trials day in the Cotswold Chase and he put in a mighty performance to beat Bristol De Mai over what was nearly the Gold Cup trip.

He then headed to the festival for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and although rallying in the final stages, had to settle for a narrow second behind dual winner Al Boum Photo.

The staying star for the yard made a satisfactory return to racing this season when having a good racecourse gallop at Newbury and then headed to Aintree for the Many Clouds Chase and finished a narrow second to Lake View Lad.

Although not winning the race he showed his staying ability in tricky conditions and with many fences being bypassed due to the low sun on the day it did not play to his strengths.

The plan after that race was to get him ready at home for this event which he landed last term, but connections and trainer instead decided to run him in the Kempton feature King George VI Chase and after forking out £5,000 to supplement him they were expecting a big run.

Unfortunately, having looked like he was coming with a challenge he could only finish fifth, fading in the latter stages of the race.

Heavy ground will not play to his strengths in this race and he looks to be up against it, if not being pulled out of the event before the off.

Native River started last season off at Aintree in the Grade Two Many Clouds Chase and went on to take the contest by over 50 lengths, with the field including Might Bite and Black Corton.

Now slightly older Tizzard had to be more patient with him and he was given some time after the race and reappeared at Newbury in the Denman Chase which he won by four lengths for the third time in his career.

That was a perfect prep run ahead of the festival with the ground being much quicker than he usually liked but he did what he always does best and stayed better than the rest of the field.

However, he did not end up running in the Gold Cup and was seen for the first time in the race he won last year at Aintree when finishing a close third of five.

Native River owes nothing to anyone having had a superb career and always running his race, but with the ground turning heavy it leaves him slightly vulnerable.

The seven year old was a smart hurdler in France and then was bought over to England and continued his good form when sent chasing, landing his first three events as a novice with the highlight being the Grade Two Kingmaker Chase at Warwick.

Since then he has got slightly lost in his career having been outclassed in better company when running poorly in the Arkle, Champion Chase and Shloer Chase over the years.

However, last term he was upped in trip from two miles and it bought improvement out of the gelding finishing a bold second in a Grade Three Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in January and then heading to the 2020 Cheltenham festival and a narrow second to Min in the Grade One Ryanair Chase, which was a career best run.

Although that was a smart run, he was an outsider for his seasonal debut in the King George VI Chase at Kempton and remarkably he ran a stormer to finish fourth, in what was a superb renewal of the race.

This event will tell whether he stays this trip and head to the Gold Cup or be dropped back and go for the Ryanair Chase.

The 10 year old gelding has seen it all during his career, being aimed at Grand National's over the years and it looks to be his target again.

The thing we know about this horse is that he stays all day long and he proved that on his seasonal debut in the Many Clouds Chase when landing the event.

In tough conditions he stayed on best of the pack to see off Santini and Native River showing all heart to win the event, but on Saturday at Cheltenham it will be a different race.

At Aintree that day most of the fences were taken out of the race leaving it more like a bumper, which suited the Nick Alexander trained horse and with more jumps to take on Saturday it could leave him more vulnerable.

The 11 year old gelding is one of the most proven stayers around, constantly putting in smart performances over the marathon trips.

Over the last two years the veteran has finished third in the Welsh National twice and then gone on to land the Portman Cup with ease and he did the same last time out.

Even at the grand old age of 11 he is still enthusiastic for the game and being steered by Bryony Frost who thrives in these events.

However, in this race he will be running three long distance races that equal over 10 miles in trip in less than a month and that could see him very fatigued in the final stages.