Haiti Couleurs stepping up for Betfair Chase challenge

Connections of Haiti Couleurs can expect to have a clearer idea of where he stands in the staying division after the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

The Rebecca Curtis-trained eight-year-old won four of his five novice starts over fences last season, rounding of his campaign with big-race victories in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham and the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

Having blown away any cobwebs with a comeback victory over hurdles at Newbury little over a fortnight ago, a return to the Berkshire track for next weekend’s Coral Gold Cup was mooted, but he instead steps up to Grade One level on Merseyside.

“He seems in great shape, it’s a shame we’ve not got an extra week with him, but there’s no indication at home that he’s not fresh – he seems really well in himself,” said the Welsh trainer.

“I think Saturday will be really interesting and we’ll kind of find out what level he’s at, I guess. I’d rather find out this side of Christmas, because (then) you kind of know where you’re going after Christmas and into the spring with him.

“Saying that, it is not going to be the be all and end all for him on Saturday. There are tracks that might suit him a little bit better and bring out a bit more improvement, but at the same time Haydock has good old straight and I think you’ve got to have a good stayer around there once the track’s on the slow side.”

Reflecting on his reappearance win over the smaller obstacles, Curtis added: “I wouldn’t say I was totally shocked by it, as I knew he was very well at home and I knew he’d improved a bit. Seeing the way he was travelling and jumping, I said after a few furlongs ‘I think he’s going to win this’. I just get that feeling with him.

“He definitely looks a bit sharper since Newbury and he’s a bit sharper in his work, not that we’ve worked him hard. I’ve basically just thrown everything at him to freshen him up rather than piling loads of work into him, so I can’t tell you much off his home work, but he definitely looks sharper.”

Last year’s Betfair Chase saw the Venetia Williams-trained Haydock specialist Royale Pagaille successfully defend his crown at the chief expense of Grey Dawning, who is favourite to go one better 12 months on, with his trainer Dan Skelton admitting there will be “no excuses” this time around.

Skelton said: “I’d never want to take anything away from the winner last year, but I just felt the conditions got us. I’m definitely not taking anything away from the winner, but I wouldn’t have minded 10mm (of rain) less.

“The race looks to have a bit of depth to it and last season we were in the position some of these will be in this year, stepping out of novice company with some good wins to our name but needing to step up.

“I always feel that is a hard thing to do but if you have Grade One form, then of course they can and I have a lot of respect for those novices coming up and also a lot of respect for Venetia’s horse.

“I would love to start this year with a Grade One and I feel there is a bit of unfinished business with the race – we’ll be heading there with no excuses.”

Another high-class novice from last season bidding to prove himself in open company is Ben Pauling’s Handstands, who looked a little ring-rusty when touched off by Resplendent Grey in the Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle three weeks ago.

Pauling is expecting to see a sharper version of the six-year-old this weekend, saying: “I have more faith in this horse than you could ever imagine – I just think he has a huge engine.

“I’m a realist and I think this is his best chance of a Grade One this season. In our wildest dreams he might be a Gold Cup horse, but we have to be honest and say by March things will be a lot hotter again and this has to be our best chance of a Grade One – we’ll try to take it.”

Gordon Elliott’s Irish raider Stellar Story completes the five-strong field.