Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is cautiously optimistic A Plus Tard will show his true colours in the Alder Hey Aintree Bowl on Thursday.
Henry de Bromhead’s charge looked set to become the dominant force in the division following an imperious 15-length victory in last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, but little has gone right since.
The nine-year-old returned unsatisfactory blood test results following a disappointing defence of the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, while a late setback denied him the opportunity to bounce back in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Connections ultimately decided to head straight back to Cheltenham, where after travelling well for a long way, he was badly hampered by the fall of Ahoy Senor and the brought-down Sounds Russian, which ultimately led to him being pulled up by Rachael Blackmore.
Having failed to complete a race since his Gold Cup romp 13 months ago, A Plus Tard clearly has questions to answer ahead of his first appearance at Aintree, but hopes are high in the Cheveley Park camp that he can get his career back on track.
Thompson said: “It’s been a difficult season for him, as we all know.
“He was travelling well in the Gold Cup until he got hampered. Would he have troubled the first two, who knows, but he was travelling well.
“I think we’re just hoping that he can travel like that again and show the class that he’s got. We want to see a good, positive showing and signs that he is back to himself.
“I’m not going to say he’s going to win it because it’s a very a hot race, but it’s great to be involved and we look forward to taking our chance.
“He’s won four Grade Ones for us and is a double winner at Cheltenham. He’s won a Gold Cup and a Betfair Chase in imperious fashion – he’s been a great horse for us whatever happens.”
The Lucinda Russell-trained Ahoy Senor won the Cotswold Chase over course and distance before his Gold Cup fall and he returns to a track he knows well.
Winner of the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at massive odds of 66-1 in 2021 before landing the Mildmay Novices’ Chase by five lengths last term, Russell believes Ahoy Senor is primed for another bold showing.
“He’s in great form, I’m looking forward to the good ground with him,” Russell said.
“This looks a tough race, tougher even than the Gold Cup I think, but he’s in good form and we travel with hope.
“It’s been quite handy to have that extra time between the two meetings, he’s been thriving.
“He always seems to go well at this time of year, he’s quite a spring-time horse.”
Nico de Boinville will reunite with Shishkin after the duo finished second to Envoi Allen in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.
Nicky Henderson’s charge was the evens favourite for the event and eventually came home two and three-quarter lengths behind the winner.
“I think we were a bit deflated after Cheltenham, although he did stay on really well up the hill,” de Boinville told Sky Sports Racing.
“We’ve tried to work a few things out and he seems to be in really good order at home – he’s been working well and schooling well.
“He was just never happy from the word go (at Cheltenham). He was never really happy and never really jumping and made hard work of it.
“I don’t think you can really question his temperament given the way he seemed to battle on up the hill and everything has been right since then.
“I’m staying nice and positive and when he’s on-song, he’ll be very hard to beat.
“All the ability is there, it’s just a case of bringing it all together.”
Gordon Elliott’s Gold cup third Conflated takes his chance while Jamie Snowden’s Ga Law, who did not meet the criteria for a planned Grand National bid, completes a field of five after Bravemansgame was withdrawn from the race by the British Horseracing Authority.
