Alan King’s horse in with a fine chance at CheltenhamCape Gentlemen takes the Dovecote Novice HurdleAlan King had nine Cheltenham Festival winners in just four seasons between 2006 and 2009, but the story of his fortunes since Uxizandre gave him his last success at the meeting in 2015 also tells a tale of the losing battle of
British stables against their
Irish counterparts. King’s 80 runners have all been beaten, and only Yanworth, a defeated favourite in both 2016 and 2019, has set off at the head of the betting.
In Tritonic, though, he seems to have his best chance of a 16th Festival winner for at least four years, and the four-year-old seems certain to lead the home challenge in the Triumph Hurdle against Zanahiyr, Quilixios and French Aseel, Ireland’s main contenders, who are unbeaten in eight starts between them.