The eight-year-old, sporting cheekpieces for the first time, never looked totally happy with his lot, sitting off the pace set by his former stable companion and Gold Cup runner-up Santini. The latter jumped well and looks to be on better terms with himself now under the guidance of Polly Gundry, but the winner's jumping lacked fluency on a number of occasions.
While the win proved that he was the best horse at these weights on this day, is anytning it left the waters a little murkier with regard to his Gold Cup chance. He certainly has an engine, as many would have failed to see this out given his untidy fencing, so that is one box ticked.
However, that jumping will be put under severe pressure with the usual unrelenting pace of a Gold Cup and it was interesting to hear trainer Nicky Henderson say afterwards that he had struggled to go the early pace in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, which explained his poor run that day.
Clearly, he would have more time to get involved in a Gold Cup but even so, unless they go off far too quickly, he could risk being too far behind to be capable of having a say. After all, he will be taking on better horses if he lines up for the Blue Riband in a few weeks.
One positive he could take from this was that, for all that gone before, he did jump the last two perfectly well and had no problem getting up the hill. The jury will be out for many but thr master of Seven Barrows preferred to be positive.
“I’m pleased that’s done. He’s got the job done," he told ITV. "He’s had a really good blow actually. He was tired. If you do go right back that’s his first race since Aintree last year. He had a two-horse race at Sandown. He went nowhere at Kempton, and that’s the first time he’s had to do anything that wasn’t very straightforward."
With regard to the decision to fit cheekpieces this time, Henderson added: “AP (Sir Anthony McCoy) is a great help to us and months ago we just mooted cheekpieces for him between Nico (de Boinville, his jockey) and AP and myself. We thought we ought to put them on in the King George to keep him sharp.
"I just thought he was very sharp before the King George and he wasn’t. He just wasn’t sharp enough for that game of flat out over three miles and they went very very quick at Kempton and he was lost after three or four fences.
“So the big question was whether to put them on today. We tried them and they definitely sharpened him up at home. So the big question was whether to put them on today or keep them for March. I felt that he had to win today to stay in the ball game and therefore we ought to have them on."
Commenting on the fact that de Boinville had dismounted Chantry House at the top of the hill, before leading him back to the winner's enclosure down the chute, the trainer added: “That was a tough race today. They went a good gallop. Santini always sets a good gallop. They had to work hard.
"It’s lovely ground but it’s not ground that helps them a great deal. I think it’s quite dead and he did get tired but I think he’s entitled to and we’ve got plenty of time so I think we take positives out of it all.
“If he hadn’t won today you’d have to say he’s got no business running in the Gold Cup.”
