Tizzard backing Kripticjim to rise to Bartlett challenge

The last time Kripticjim appeared at Cheltenham it was in the gloom of the chaotic finish to Trials day, but now he has the chance to dazzle in the spotlight of the Festival as he steps up in trip for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Brocade Racing enjoyed a day to remember eight years ago when Native River won the Gold Cup and having already seen Sober Glory and Alexei run with credit in their colours this week, the owners will be hoping to get off the Festival mark this year with Joe Tizzard’s likeable six-year-old.

“He’s done everything right all season and has got better with every run,” said Tizzard.

“I think he will love stepping up in trip and I think he has a great each-way chance.

“Brendan (Powell, jockey) was all for going up in trip, especially on the drying ground, and I think he’s tailor-made for it and galloped right through the line the last couple of times, so I think it’s the right thing to do. We’re looking forward to it.”

Ben Pauling went close in this race with his Gold Cup hope The Jukebox Man two years ago and has another real contender in Mondoui’boy who impressed at Ascot most recently, while Dan Skelton’s Moneygarrow also holds similar claims having proved his stamina at Windsor in January.

His trainer feels his hat-trick seeker is being overlooked in the market and said: “He has potentially been overlooked, I think. He did very well last time out over three miles at Windsor and he has the perfect run style for the race, in my opinion.

“Historically it’s been won by horses that have had lots and lots of runs and he doesn’t drop quite into that category, but I do like the way he races, he’ll come home strongly and he’s a contender.”

Seven of the last 10 runnings of this race have gone to Ireland and Willie Mullins saddles four in search of back-to-back victories.

The best of them could well be Doctor Steinberg, who is the mount of Paul Townend and heads into the race having won his last three, including a statement success in Grade One company at the Dublin Racing Festival.

“He’s the type of horse who keeps surprising you in the afternoon, not in the morning, and that’s when they get paid,” said Townend.

“I thought it was a big performance at Leopardstown. He’d done plenty wrong and when I let go of him halfway up the straight, he had the chance to fold but it was the opposite. It was the way he went.

“The horses behind him did everything right, I thought, and it was there for them to pick it up, and they couldn’t. He stamped his authority on it.

“I wouldn’t be worried with three miles, not the way he hit the line, on that ground and after what he’d done. He wasn’t stopping. He’s tough and he stays.”

It was Paul Nolan’s Thedeviluno who chased home Doctor Steinburg when they clashed at Navan in December and having since beaten some of the best Britain has to offer when making a successful raid on Doncaster’s River Don Novices’ Hurdle, will lock horns with the Closutton hotpot once again.

“Thedeviluno has a good chance on Friday and the more rain the better,” said Nolan.

“He has to improve to beat Doctor Steinberg, and there’s several more in it as well, but we are going in good form and we are hoping he will run a respectable race.

“We are happy with him and that’s all we can do with him. If he’s good enough, he’s good enough and that’s it. He’s versatile enough, he’s not slow, but to me he looked more comfortable over the three-mile trip.

“He’s ran three good races over hurdles and hopefully he can improve enough to create a battle with Doctor Steinberg, but again, he’s going to be very hard to beat because he was very impressive at Leopardstown.”