Chase is on for Colin Tizzard’s Lostintranslation

CONNECTIONS of Lostintranslation expect him to be firing on all cylinders as he tries to defend his Betfair Chase crown on his seasonal return at Haydock later this month.

The eight-year-old will have his first start since finishing third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup as he bids to give trainer Colin Tizzard a fifth victory in the Grade One prize on November 21 – he previously landed the celebrated race with the three-time winner Cue Card.

Lostintranslation had the benefit of a prep run before his Betfair Chase win last year, but the Tizzard team are confident he can still achieve the same result without a warm-up spin.

Joe Tizzard, the Dorset trainer’s son and assistant, said: “Lostintranslation is exactly where we want him to be. He has had little away day and a racecourse gallop, and we are happy going there first time out.

“Because he could run in an intermediate chase last year at Carlisle, we thought that was the perfect stepping stone for him.

“This year we knew all the way through the Betfair would be his first run, so we have him fit enough to go there and do himself justice at Haydock, because it is a big pot.

“We know he operates well around there, so it was always going to be the obvious starting point for him.”

Tizzard reports jockey Robbie Power to be equally as happy with Lostintranslation going into his first assignment of the season, having partnered him in both his racecourse gallop and a recent schooling session.

He added: “Robbie Power rode him in his gallop, and he schooled him last Wednesday and he will probably school him again.

“Robbie can’t stop smiling when he gets off him, so that tells you plenty. He is very excited and he can’t wait to get back on board him. He is really pleased with where he is, and he is ticking all the right boxes.”

With Lostintranslation finding only Al Boum Photo and Santini too strong in last season’s Gold Cup, Tizzard believes a repeat of that display can see him mount another serious challenge in March. He added: “He travelled well in the Gold Cup last year and jumped the last upsides them, before just getting beat. He will be much better for another year on his back.”

Lostintranslation’s opponents at Haydock include course specialist Bristol De Mai, a two-time winner of this race, and the Paul Nicholls-trained Clan Des Obeaux who will be having a prep race ahead of an attempt to win Kempton’s King George VI Chase for a third successive year.

Clan Des Obeaux will almost certainly be ridden by in-form Harry Cobden, who is now just one winner behind title race leader Brian Hughes following a double at Huntingdon, highlighted by his 50th success of the season.

“I always try and aim to ride 50 winners by January – so to get 50 by November is pretty good,” said the 22-year-old jockey.

“I’m just looking forward to the rest of the season.

“Hopefully I can stay in one piece and keep on rolling. If we get March out of the way and I’m still there then it will be all guns blazing.

“This year is different to any others, because those that normally get 100 winners on the board early haven’t, so this season is a good one to give the title a go.”

An additional 14 all-weather meetings will be staged between this Sunday, and December 15, as racing looks to boost its finances in the continued absence of spectators.

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