Heavy Ground Why We Won’t Risk Sizing John

Sizing John is one hundred per cent. The ground was purely the reason for not going to Haydock on Saturday. You could end up leaving your whole year behind if you were to run 3 miles, 1 furlong on very testing ground, at this time of the season.

It’s unfortunate that we can’t take on the £1 million bonus but at the end of the day it’s all about winning another Gold Cup if we can and that’s what we’ll be aiming Sizing John for.

He’s in fantastic form and we couldn’t be happier with him.

How do I see the Betfair Chase going? Bristol De Mai ticks a lot of the boxes, he’s got some very good form around Haydock, he loves heavy ground and he won the Charlie Hall Chase in good style.

Saying that as well, I think the race Outlander won in the James Nicholson Champion Chase at Down Royal was as strong and as quality a race as the Charlie Hall, and if the same Outlander turns up at Haydock, he’ll give them plenty to think about.