Runaway Aintree Grade 1 winner Thistlecrack was today confirmed to be on course for the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle at next week’s Punchestown Festival.
Colin Tizzard’s charge took the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle by 13 lengths at Liverpool and connections are hoping that he can finish his campaign on a high in the three-mile Grade 1 at Punchestown on Wednesday, April 29.
“The plan is to bring Thistlecrack over – he missed Cheltenham and then was very impressive at Aintree. He worked nicely this morning and I would imagine he will go over three miles again in the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle,” said Joe Tizzard, assistant to his father.
“He got the trip really well at Aintree – we thought he could run into a place but we didn’t imagine that he would win like he did. The run before that [in the Imperial Cup at Sandown] he looked like he was crying out for a trip and he took it to a whole different level.
“We’ve been patient with him as he’s had a few problems and we’re reaping the rewards.”
The Tizzard team will also be represented in Wednesday’s Grade 1 Bibby Financial Services Punchestown Gold Cup with stable star Cue Card, who was most recently second to Don Cossack in the Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree.
“Cue Card will go for the Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup and the way he travelled and jumped he looked back to his old self for a long way at Aintree,” continued Tizzard.
“He made a mistake three out and I thought that he could have fallen in a hole after that but he ran all the way to the line. He hadn’t run since the King George [at Kempton on December 26] so there’s no reason he can’t improve for the outing.
“He worked nicely this week and he’ll be a fresh horse going into it and it’s nice to see him back racing.”
