Thursday 30 June 2016 10:34, UK
Connections of 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Coneygree have nominated the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby as a potential comeback target.
The Mark Bradstock-trained nine year old is reported to have made a full recovery from the season-ending hock injury sustained in his build up towards an an outing over Christmas in either the King George at Kempton or the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.
It was the second setback he had suffered in a truncated campaign after spreading a plate in the lead up towards a shot at the Hennessy Gold Cup just days after bolting up on his return to action in an intermediate chase at Sandown.
Although plans are yet to be firmed up the three-mile Grade Two chase on October 29 has been earmarked as one of a number of potential starting points for Coneygree, who became the first novice chaser since Captain Christy in 1974 to win the Gold Cup.
Sara Bradstock, assistant trainer, said: "He is great and is in very good form. He is cantering and has done a bit of jumping in the school.
"He is having a summer holiday but we have just kept riding him as we don't want him to lose the muscle he has gained during his rehabilitation .
"He has three days off then I ride him for a day. He feels great and in two to three weeks time he will come back into proper training.
"It really all depends on the weather as to where we start him. We might run in the Charlie Hall if they get the rain up there at that point.
"Who knows, we might go to Haydock (Betfair Chase) as we might be tempted by the bonus.
"There is no point risking him as he is fragile enough as it is and he won't run on anything faster than the soft side of good. Hopefully we don't have a long Indian Summer."
Despite having a lengthy absence to overcome connections are confident that he still retains the ability required to be given a campaign tailored around trying to regain his Gold Cup title at Prestbury Park in March.
Bradstock added: "The vets are delighted with him and Nico (de Boinville) had a jump on him and he is delighted. There is every reason to be optimistic we still have the same horse.
"There was talk of trying to get him back for this year's Gold Cup but there was no point in getting him back and breaking him as that would have broken him for good.
"He is nine but he should go on at 10, 11 and 12 as he has relatively few miles on the clock.
"It is lovely for people like us to breed a horse that can take on those of the likes owned by Gigginstown Stud and Rich Ricci.
"I've told him that he has got to go win it again (Gold Cup) as I don't remember the last one as it was all a blur."
