Jessica Harrington gives Sizing John Betfair Chase entry at Haydock
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Sizing John stars among 11 entries for the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 25.
Jessica Harrington's charge won the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown and the Punchestown Gold Cup either side of his blue riband triumph at Prestbury Park in March to confirm himself the undisputed top dog in the staying chase division last season.
Harrington has confirmed he will make his reappearance on Merseyside with a view to having a crack at the Jockey Club Triple Crown. A £1million bonus is on offer for any horse who can win the Betfair Chase, the King George at Kempton and the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
The Colin Tizzard-trained Cue Card has won the Betfair Chase in three of the last four years, leaving him just one victory short of the record set by the brilliant Kauto Star.
The 11-year-old has not had the ideal preparation, having fallen in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday.
But having returned home from West Yorkshire unscathed, the trainer's son and assistant Joe Tizzard is hoping he can produce another "demolition job" at Haydock.
Speaking at a press conference prior to racing at Exeter on Tuesday, Tizzard said: "He has come out of it fine, to be honest. It was a nervous time on Sunday morning.
"Even when he has a hard race or a hard fall, he is the first horse you see when you drive into the yard in the morning, with his ears pricked over the door.
"He had a canter on Monday morning and he had a canter this morning."
Cue Card's Wetherby exit was very similar to the falls he has taken in the last two renewals of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but connections are confident he will bounce back.
Tizzard added: "I was at Ascot on Saturday and I don't think any of us connected to the horse wanted to see him hitting the deck for a third time. All three times he has guessed at them. He hasn't put down or hit the top.
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16:30 Redcar - Tuesday May 30
"He has perhaps got a bit of a doubt, but there is no way of schooling for that scenario. You can't put Cue Card in a championship race over two and three-quarter miles, doing 30mph with horses all around him (at home).
"In my opinion, he was working into the race really well and if he had gone and won at Wetherby or finished close you would be very bullish going back to Haydock.
"The track suits him well and we have seen him do some serious demolition jobs there. He bounced back at Aintree after the first Gold Cup and bounced back at Aintree last year, although he got beaten.
"As long as this fall doesn't have any ill effects on him, there is no reason why he can't run a huge race again."
Charlie Hall hero Bristol De Mai is set to represent Nigel Twiston-Davies, while Gordon Elliott's JNwine.com Champion Chase winner Outlander could join Sizing John from Ireland.
Might Bite is set to run at Sandown on Sunday but has been given an entry by Nicky Henderson.
The other potential runners are Tea For Two, More Of That, Traffic Fluide, Yala Enki, Double Treasure and Shantou Flyer.
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