Native River set for racecourse gallop

Horse Racing

Thu December 28, 2017 · 7y ago

Native River will step up his preparations ahead of a potential return in the BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on January 27 with a racecourse gallop next week.

The extended three-mile-one-furlong contest is one of two Grade Two races, alongside the Betfair Chase at Newbury on February 10, being considered as a possible starting point for the seven-year-old by trainer Colin Tizzard.

Last year's Hennessy Gold Cup and Welsh National winner has not been seen since finishing third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

Tizzard said: "He is going to have a racecourse gallop next week and he is ready now for that.

"The Cotswold is in four weeks' time and he might go for that, or we might wait for the Denman.

"We are just looking at running in something before the Gold Cup."