Cheltenham Festival – Colin Tizzard faces a “nervous” three weeks as he looks to saddle Cue Card, Thistlecrack, Native River and Theatre Guide in the Gold Cup
COLIN TIZZARD will have a "nervous" three weeks after Cue Card's scintillating display in Saturday's Ascot Chase.
With the win, Cue Card all but confirmed Tizzard will head to Cheltenham with Britain's three biggest hopes for the Gold Cup.
Heading the betting is Thistlecrack, who proved too strong for Cue Card in the King George before suffering his first defeat over fences at the hands of the ill-fated Many Clouds at Cheltenham last month.
His Hennessy Gold Cup and Welsh Grand National-winning stable companion, Native River, looks set to line up as second-favourite after completing his hat-trick in last weekend's Denman Chase at Newbury.
Cue Card, who Tizzard revealed on Saturday emerged from his King George reverse with a "big, fat leg", is currently third in the market at 6-1 after he bounced back to his brilliant best with what his trainer felt was a foot-perfect display at Ascot.
Tizzard said: "Cue Card is absolutely fine this morning.
"I thought his performance on Saturday was as perfect as you can get. On all known form he deserved to win, but that doesn't mean they will.
"He travelled and jumped and came away in his own time, so we were delighted."
Looking ahead to the Gold Cup on March 17, the trainer added: "We're in a lovely position and now it's a case of trying to get them all there in one piece.
"Every day will be a nervous day for the next few weeks, hoping something doesn't go wrong.
"We just hope we don't get any bad luck."
Tizzard could also saddle Theatre Guide in the blue riband event.
