Welsh Grand National winner Elegant Escape’s next run will be in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, it has been confirmed.
The decision comes despite the fact that the the seven-year-old us yet to win at Grade One level in six separate attempts. He won at Chepstow in a field of 20 on December 27, beating Ramses De Teillee for the £85,425 prize.
Now, Tizzard has elected to throw him straight in at the deep end for his next outing, with plans to run him alongside stablemates Thistlecrack and Native River at Cheltenham Festival on March 15.
Tizzard told Sky Sports: "Elegant Escape is now rated 159 and is only about 7lb away from being a Gold Cup horse. He might make a Grand National horse as well, because he is a tough stayer.
"We've just got to sit and think about it - but the fact is he has won at Sandown, won a Welsh National by outstaying them all and was second in a Ladbrokes Trophy, where he was the only one really finishing that day.
"I think his next race will be the Gold Cup, because he has had three hard races and we are only around two months away from the Gold Cup. If he had only had one run, we would have gone again."
At present, Elegant Escape is priced at 20/1 to win the Gold Cup, with Presenting Percy being the outright favourite at 4/1. Elsewhere, stablemates Native River and Thistlecrack are 9/2 and 8/1 respectively, with Altior 7/1 and Might Bite 10/1. Initial entries for the race will be published this week.
(Credit At The Races)