Joe set for SunAlliance trial

Joe Lively goes on trial for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in Saturday´s John Smith´s Reynoldstown Novices´ Chase at Ascot.

Colin Tizzard´s former point-to-pointer has been a revelation this season and was last seen claiming a Grade One victory in the Feltham at Kempton.

After a well-earned break, the nine-year-old is back in action in a high-class renewal of a race won by some smart horses in recent years.

"It´s a good little race but we haven´t run away from anybody all year so we are not going to start now," said Tizzard.

"This has been an obvious target for a while. He´s won his Grade One and he is rated 151 now so if he stepped out of novice company he would be carrying a lot of weight.

"He beat Ornais easy at Cheltenham and he has franked the form since, but Joe Lively has looked a different proposition at Cheltenham.

"He has won by 17 lengths and 24 lengths and he looks the business there but he is still good enough to win a Grade One going the other way round.

"I think the track will suit him - with Swinley Bottom there it will turn into a real stamina test and one thing he does is stay.

"He missed out a couple of fences at Kempton but they were flat out and normally we don´t have to worry about his jumping.

"As long as he comes back safe and sound, all roads will be leading to Cheltenham."

Challenging Joe Lively for favouritism at the Festival is Charlie Mann´s Air Force One.

Runner-up to Wichita Lineman at Prestbury Park last March, he has taken to fences with aplomb and is improving rapidly ahead of this weekend´s test.

Mann told At The Races: "He´s a lovely horse to have.

"He´s only six and he´s a young horse with everything in front of him and he´s certainly going the right way.

"It would be nice if things go well for him on Saturday."