Jamie Snowden’s Datsalrightgino will take on top-level company in Saturday’s Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham, following his emphatic victory in the Coral Gold Cup before Christmas.
Winner of the Grade 2 Future Champion Novices' Chase at Ayr in April, Datsalrightgino struggled on his first outing in open company in the Grade 2 Old Roan Handicap Chase at Aintree in October. The eight-year-old relished the step up in trip to three miles and two furlongs when taking the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on his subsequent start, producing an excellent round of jumping to beat Mahler Mission.
"He has always been a big scopey individual, and he improved a lot for going over a fence last season culminating in winning a Grade Two at Ayr at the end of the campaign," said Snowden.
"On the back of winning at Ayr we were always going to try and have a prep run in the Old Roan at Aintree with a view to having a go at the Coral Gold Cup.
"We thought we would try going up in trip in a big race like the Coral Gold Cup and thankfully it all paid off.
"This was a race that I earmarked after the Coral Gold Cup. The King George (VI Chase at Kempton Park) was just a step to far and it was less than a month after the Coral Gold Cup so the next options, without going to Ireland, were the Cotswold Chase or the Denman Chase at Newbury.
"We thought we would try and get him ready for this and looking at the forecast we should be okay for Saturday ground wise.
"He has got to step forward again coming out of handicap company. He won the Coral Gold Cup off 148 so this is a different kettle of fish.
"They have all got a high level of open company chase form, apart from Stay Away Fay, but he won the Albert Bartlett over hurdles last season at The Festival.
"He is only eight and you would like to think he has got a progressive profile. Looking at the entries there should be plenty of pace on as a few of them like to go forward and that will suit him.
"He has always been a good work horse at home, and he seems in good form so we are looking forward to it."
He will be ridden by regular jockey Gavin Sheehan, who has partnered Itsalrightgino in all but two of his nineteen racecourse starts.
"Gavin knows the horse well and I think it is important when you build up a relationship with a horse," added Snowden.
"There are plenty of good jockeys out there but Gavin has been brilliant for us. The form of our horses has gone to a different level over the last four or five seasons and it has been great having Gavin on the back of them.
"You always hear football coaches and rugby coaches talking about momentum and it is just the same in racing.
"If you have momentum behind you then you have the confidence in your veins and Gavin is riding brilliantly so it has got to help for sure."
