Remastered will be looking redemption when he lines up in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on November 26.
David Pipe’s nine-year-old was travelling smoothly in the contest 12 months ago when taking a crashing fall four from home and tuned up for this year’s bid with a four-length victory over hurdles at Aintree on Saturday, which saw him join Cheltenham Festival winner Corach Rambler at 6-1 at the top of the ante-post market with the sponsors.
He is one of two trained by Pipe left in the race following the latest confirmation stage along with Gericault Roque -who was runner-up to Corach Rambler at Prestbury Park in March – as the Pond House handler looks for his second win in the race to go with his father Martin’s three victories.
“It was a pleasant surprise to see Remastered win at Aintree as his preparation hadn’t been the best,” said Pipe. “We were using it as a prep run for the Coral Gold Cup where he will go next if the ground is okay.
“Last year’s experience was frustrating but at the end of the day the horse and jockey were okay. If you look at his results after that race you would have to say he might not have won it. He looked the winner when he came down but as we know it was still a long way from home at Newbury.
“The wind op has helped him during the summer. He has been a good horse but has always promised a bit more.”
Ground conditions could dictate whether Lord Accord takes his chance following his second in the Badger Beer on Saturday.
A clear-cut winner at Cheltenham during the Showcase meeting, Neil Mulholland’s seven-year-old proved he is in rude health when a silver medallist to Frodon at Wincanton, staying on well to go down by just over two lengths despite making a mistake at the last.
“I’m delighted with him he’s in good order and thankfully has come out of the race well,” said Mulholland.
“He wouldn’t want the ground too soft so we will have to tip toe around a bit shortly, but we’re delighted with how he’s been.
“Going to the last you were hoping he would be staying on and Frodon might just get a bit tired, but Frodon winning was great for racing. Normally when you finish second you are gutted, but it was a good result for racing and a brilliant training performance by Paul (Nicholls). Our lad ran well, he just missed the last and they are there to be jumped. But we were very happy with him.”
On a possible trip to Newbury later in the month he added: “We left him in, so he has an entry in that.
“If conditions are fine, it is one of the races we could go for. That’s why we entered him four weeks ago and thankfully his form has improved in that four weeks so we will definitely be looking at it very seriously.
“He’ll probably have an entry in the National as well for the spring, but we just need a bit of nice ground, that is the main thing with him.”
There are 36 still in contention for a slice of the £250,000 prize-fund including last year’s runner-up Fiddlerontheroof, recent Ascot scorer Our Power and Paul Nicholls’ Threeunderthrufive.
Chantry House could represent Nicky Henderson, but stablemate Dusart will not line up and was one of 20 to be scratched from the race alongside King George-bound Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor.
