Lostintranslation to skip Newbury’s Denman Chase and head straight for Cheltenham Gold Cup after operation, says Joe Tizzard

Betfair Chase winner Lostintranslation will head straight to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, says assistant trainer Joe Tizzard.

JOE TIZZARD says Lostintranslation will now head straight to the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup following his below-par performance in the King George VI Chase.

Initial entries for steeplechasing’s blue riband race are published today and Tizzard – assistant trainer to his father Colin – confirmed the horse has undergone a soft palate operation to assist his breathing after being pulled up in the Boxing Day feature.

Lostintranslation had staked a strong claim for the Gold Cup with victory in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November – and while an outing in next month’s Denman Chase at Newbury was on the agenda, it is now being ruled out.

“We’ve just gone easy with him and he’s had his flu jab.

Lostintranslationn (far side) got the better of the grey Bristol De Mai in the Betfair Chase.

“There’s nothing that has particularly come out of the race that would say that is the reason for the run,” said Tizzard junior.

“He had an off-day. Whether Haydock took more out of him than perhaps we thought, it’s hard to tell, but all his work leading up to Kempton was very good and we couldn’t have been happier. It’s our job now to get him back and get him 100 per cent for the Gold Cup.

“It would be nice to point at something and say that was the reason, but we haven’t got that, so we’ll just freshen him up and I don’t think we will run him before the Gold Cup.

“We can do plenty at home and just maybe take him for a couple of racecourse gallops and freshen him right up for March.”