Cheltenham: A Plus Tard ‘has stamina and class’ to win Gold Cup

Twelve months on from what was the culmination of a week Henry de Bromhead will never forget, Minella Indo and A Plus Tard are back in contention for top honours in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Minella Indo and Jack Kennedy denied A Plus Tard and Rachael Blackmore 12 months ago as the pair put the seal on a dream four days for everyone concerned with De Bromhead’s County Waterford yard.

This season Minella Indo began his campaign in the Champion Chase at Down Royal and was beaten into third by Frodon, after which he was pulled up when never looking happy in the King George at Kempton.

However, there was far more encouragement to be taken from his runner-up finish behind Conflated in last month’s Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

“Indo’s first run was really good on a sharp track and then, when we went to Kempton, I was trying to put a square peg into a round hole and that just didn’t work,” said De Bromhead.

“It was great to see him back in the Irish Gold Cup and I thought that was a really good run.”

Blackmore has again sided with A Plus Tard, who was a runaway winner of the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November before being chinned late on by Galvin in his bid for back-to-back wins in the Savills Chase.

Minella Indo is partnered this time by Robbie Power.

De Bromhead added: “A Plus Tard was really impressive in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and he ran well in the Savills. I was a little disappointed to get beaten, but still felt he ran really well.

“I’d say you could argue the Savills is the best form, when he was beaten by Galvin.

“I thought he was really impressive at Haydock and I thought he ran really well at Leopardstown.”

Richard Thompson, of owners Cheveley Park Stud, is hopeful A Plus Tard can go one better