Colin Tizzard's leading staying chaser Lostintranslation will drop in class in a bid to bounce back to form as the Dorset trainer has highlighted a crack at the Denman Chase before heading back to the Cheltenham festival for another crack at the Gold Cup.
The eight year old last season started his term off at Carlisle when landing the Intermediate Chase in fine style which set him up perfectly for a tilt at the Betfair Chase against two time winner Bristol De Mai.
Having the run under his belt made the difference as he went on to stay on better than the Nigel Twiston-Davies horse up the straight and it saw him land his first black type event out of novice company.
This season, without the run before the race and the heavy conditions it saw Bristol De Mai reverse the form and overall Tizzard's horse gave a very below par performance.
In 2019 Lostintranslation headed to Kempton on Boxing Day for the King George VI Chase and nothing went right for him throughout the race with his jumping ultimately letting him down and he was pulled up before the finish.
It was nearly a complete replica run this season with the horse finding no rhythm over fences and being pulled up again, ultimately looking like a completely different horse to what we once thought was a Gold Cup winner in waiting.
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(Credit ATR) Joe Tizzard, son and assistant, said: “Lostintranslation burst a blood vessel in the King George, which was reported. There is normally something underlying when they break a blood vessel, because it puts them under pressure.
“He will have his flu jab now and we will try and get him right for the Denman.
“We want to get another spin into him, and he loves it around Newbury, and the ground at that time of year is usually decent.”
The gelding is now as big as 25/1 for the Gold Cup in March with many people feeling event that price is too short, but his handler believes he has the ability to bounce back.
He added: “Plenty of horses have bled and then go and run well afterwards.“
He has never done that at home or anything. But horses bleed from time to time, and we have just got to get him back.
“He hasn’t performed the last twice and he needs to bounce back, but it’s certainly possible that he can.”
Tizzard still believes that if it wasn't for bursting a blood vessel he could have mounted a big challenge in the race after travelling well round the first circuit.
He added: “He was travelling beautifully for the first circuit and he was exactly where he wanted to be.
“With Frodon going slightly left, he was having a beautiful run down the inside. He then suddenly cut out, but that is what a little bleed does. ”