Harry Cobden nonetheless deems Bravemansgame to be the very best British hope for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, regardless of defeat in December’s King George VI Chase at Kempton.
Regardless of being overwhelmed in dramatic trend by Hewick on Boxing Day, Cobden believes Paul Nicholls’ star has the potential to remain the three mile distance.
Talking to Sky Sports activities Racing at Doncaster, Cobden stated: “People say he doesn’t stay three and a quarter miles, I disagree, I think he does stay. I went through that King George the other day and it was only 30 days after the race at Haydock. Everyone always says he’s always good fresh.
Fine margins at Kempton
“Nico type of strides on and you’ll’t let Shishkin go 10 lengths in entrance of you, are you able to? I’ve tried to stay with him, and we upped the ante.”
Shishkin, underneath the steerage of Nico de Boinville, discovered touchdown after the penultimate fence.
Cobden defined: “Shishkin comes right down to the second final and stumbles out the again of it. I run into the again of him and assume it is value me two or three lengths simply because I’ve almost fallen off him and missed a stride and a half. Bravemansgame needed to get going once more.
“I thought going to the last, right, we’ll beat Allaho and win the King George and then subsequently old Hewick has come over the top and beaten the lot of us. I’m not sure if he’s picked up or whatever but I think we’ve got slower, and he’s kept going at the same speed.”
Bravemansgame was subsequent in situ on the time of Shishkin’s mishap and was arguably greatest positioned to problem the chief to the end.
A Gold Cup hopeful?
Cobden added: “I took my lad out of the race chasing Shishkin and trying to stay with him and then we’ve ended up walking from the back of the last. He’s still a good horse and if you take Willie Mullins’ horse that won the Gold Cup out of the race last year then he’s absolutely bolted up hasn’t he?
“I see he is 20/1 for a Gold Cup now, I believe he is an enormous worth for that. Paul’s going to freshen him up, get him again and probably run him within the Denman Chase earlier than he goes to Cheltenham. I really assume he is nonetheless most likely the very best three-mile chaser on this nation.”
Cobden determined to keep Bowen off Burdett Road
At Doncaster, Cobden was also quizzed on circulating pictures of top jockey James Bowen sat on Triumph Hurdle contender Burdett Road.
Cobden laughed: “It saves me a visit to Newmarket, would not it? I spoke to James Owen yesterday and he stated the horse is in good kind. James rides a couple of so he thought he’d have a sit on it, however I will be sure he would not trip it.”
Burdett Highway is presently favorite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, with odds presently across the 11/2 mark.