A Plus Tard and Rachael Blackmore© Photo Healy Racing
Henry de Bromhead reports A Plus Tard ‘in mighty form’ and on target to run in the Savills Chase at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting on December 28.
The eight-year-old won the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup in devastating fashion last March when sprinting clear on the run-in to beat stablemate Minella Indo by 15 lengths but proved a bitter disappointment when pulled up on his reappearance in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last month.
However, blood tests taken after his return from Haydock highlighted an issue and the Knockeen trainer is thrilled with the current well-being of the Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding.
“His work had been really good and his run in Haydock was just too bad to be true,” de Bromhead told Racing TV.
“We took bloods from him on the Monday before he was to go and they were perfect. The Monday, two days after he ran, one of the readings was sky high — off the Richter scale. The vets think it showed a bizarre allergic reaction to something.
“He seems in mighty form. I saw him this morning when he loose schooled brilliant and he looks great. That was how he was before he went to Haydock.
“He’s being geared towards the Savills Chase at Leopardstown. He’ll have to come through all the checks before he can run but it’s nice to have a reason for the run in Haydock.”
