Third Intention is on course to return to
Cheltenham for The Open next month after opening his account over fences at The
Showcase on Friday, October 18.
The
six-year-old made all the running under Joe Tizzard in the Cheltenham Annual
Members Novices' Chase, repelling the challenge of odds-on favourite Rebel Fitz
for a comfortable length and a quarter victory.
Colin
Tizzard's charge was a leading novice last term without winning, making the
frame in three Grade One contests and chasing home Dynaste in the Grade Two
John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase.
Options
for Third Intention at The Open include the £160,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup
(Saturday, November 16) and the £20,000 Steel Plate And Sections Novices' Chase
(Friday, November 15), both over an extended two and a half miles.
Tizzard
reported: "Third Intention may have an entry in the Paddy Power Gold
Cup. We haven't decided, but novices have run in it before and he isn't a
complete novice because he was running over fences last year. There is also the
Steel Plate And Sections Novices' Chase. He will almost certainly go back to
Cheltenham, but for which race is still undecided.
"He
did not have too hard a race on Friday and has come out of that well. Making
the running was not a problem and for a two-horse race I thought it was quite a
spectacle.
"It
was cat and mouse between the two jockeys and it was beautiful to watch. Going
down to the third last, Joe (Tizzard) asked for a long one and ours came up
whereas the other horse didn't.
"He
had a wind operation over the summer because he got beat a couple of times last
year when it appeared his head came up, which meant he was either shirking it
or he couldn't get his wind. We had to check it and there was a slight problem,
so we had it done, but whether that has made a difference, time will tell. He
did put his head down after the last at Cheltenham though, which was lovely to
see.
"We
had him entered in the two mile, two and a half mile, and three-mile novices'
chases at Cheltenham and we plumped for the one in between because we aren't
entirely sure what his best trip is. I don't think anyone can be because he
also ran very well over three miles at Aintree and Kempton last season, and two
miles before that."
The
Dorset handler is also considering The Open for talented chasers Oiseau De Nuit and Golden Chieftain,
who was an impressive 10-length winner of the JLT Specialty Handicap Chase at
the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Tizzard
continued: "Oiseau De Nuit will run this weekend at Aintree in the Old
Roan Chase and will then go to Cheltenham for The Open, where he could go for
the Shloer Chase. It is a three-week gap between the two meetings and that is
ideal.
"He
has come back from his summer break in very good form and my daughter-in-law,
who rides him every day, says he is still the best horse she rides here. He ran
as well as he ever has in the spring and has a career high mark (158) going
into this season.
"There
is a chance Golden Chieftain will start at The Open as well, but we may give
him a racecourse gallop and go to the Hennessy instead. I don't think he can do
both and he could have started at Cheltenham last week but I thought the ground
would be plenty quick enough for him, so I didn't enter him.
"I
have never seen him go as fast as he did in the JLT Specialty Handicap Chase.
He surprised me a bit that day and has gone up to 148, but he is a big lovely,
strong horse and he had shown good bits of form before that. Maybe he is just
getting it all together now and will be entered in a couple of races, but we
have no definite targets at the moment."
About
The Open
The
Open is a prestigious and historic three-day meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse,
which signals that the new Jump season is in full swing. There is record prize
money of £743,000 in 2013, with the feature Paddy Power Gold Cup worth
£160,000.
Staged
on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 15, 16 & 17. The Open is the
second highest-profile meeting at the home of Jump racing, following The
Festival in March and a huge event in its own right.
The
Open provides thrilling competition between many of the best Jump horses in
Europe, with crowds of around 70,000 over the three days.
It is
regarded by many as the biggest and most important meeting of the first half of
the Jump season - a weekend of entertainment, sport and fun not to be missed,
including 80 trade stands in The Open shopping village.
Please
find more details at www.cheltenham.co.uk and
through Twitter (@CheltenhamRaces) and Facebook www.facebook.com/thehomeofjumpracing
About
Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham
Racecourse is situated in Prestbury on the outskirts of the historic spa town
of Cheltenham. The Home of Jump Racing, Cheltenham Racecourse is the venue for
the world's pre-eminent Jump Racing meeting, The Festival, which takes place in
March every year. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cotswolds,
Cheltenham Racecourse is a stunning natural amphitheatre and offers the
highest-quality action throughout the Jump season.
Cheltenham
Racecourse is part of The Jockey Club, which has been at the heart of British
racing for more than 260 years. Today the largest commercial group in the
sport, The Jockey Club runs the largest racecourse group in the UK by turnover
(2012: £142.1m), courses (15) including those at Aintree, Cheltenham, Epsom
Downs and Newmarket, attendances (2012: 1.8m), total prize money (2012:
£35.3m), contribution to prize money (2012: £16.5m) and quality racing (Group
and Graded races); more than 3,000 acres of world-class training grounds in
Newmarket and Lambourn; The National Stud breeding enterprise and education
provider; and the charity for racing's people in need, Racing Welfare. Governed
by Royal Charter, every penny The Jockey Club makes it puts back into British
racing. More information is available at www.thejockeyclub.co.uk 
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