Thistlecrack sends rivals Gold Cup warning

Thistlecrack has maintained his unbeaten record over fences after taking the mallardjewellers.com Novices' Chase at Cheltenham.

Priced around 7/2 with most bookmakers to win next March's Gold Cup, the champion staying hurdler won Saturday's race in fine style.

Irish challenger Marinero set most of the early running but Tom Scudamore moved the 1/7 pre-race favourite to the front with a full circuit remaining.

Colin Tizzard's potential superstar had a couple of shaky moments early on when he took a couple of jumps a little early but under Scudamore's steady hand he began to show his class, taking every other jump convincingly and eventually crossing the finishing post three and three-quarter lengths clear.

The latest win had Tizzard contemplating the potential season ahead.

"It's hard to describe it," he said. "He was a bit novicey but I think he'll be so much better when he has a proper race.

"He's got so much ability, he goes so easily all the time and he didn't look like falling. He's such a big, powerful, galloping horse. He has tremendous scope.

"We might get another run under him before the Christmas period.

"He's got experience of jumping round here now against lesser opposition, but I don't know if we learnt anything today.

"I was thrilled when Tom took the running up with a circuit to go and they went that bit faster.

"He's good when he gets in deep and he's won with his head in his chest as he should.

"I'd say we'll stay the novice route and he might have another run at the end of the month."

Conor McGregor will fight Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight belt at UFC 205 in New York on Saturday live on the eir Sport pack. The eir Sport pack is free to all eir broadband customers. To learn more about setting sport free visit www.eir.ie/sport .