Listener To Herald Alner's New Dawn

Robert Alner believes The Listener is a classier horse than Cool Dawn, whom he saddled to victory in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1998.

Despite that glowing appraisal, however, the Dorset handler is under no illusion as to the scale of task his galloping grey will face on March 16.

'Cool Dawn was just able to outjump and outgallop them but no-one would pretend he was a class above everything else,' he said. 'Everything was just perfect for him on the day.

'People do tend to forget The Listener is a comparative novice and I always thought going into the season that next season would be his best.

'As things have worked out, he's there with every chance but I still think next year will be when he reaches his total maturity.

'Going into the race with Cool Dawn I thought there were six prizes and I'd be happy with getting one of them.

'There's no easy Gold Cup and I'm well aware that Kauto Star is a brilliant horse full of class and he's the one you'd obviously have to fear.

'I watched him at Newbury and he didn't jump badly ? he just missed the last. The fences at Cheltenham are not as stiff as they were and I don't subscribe to the view that he's a bad jumper.

'But we have every right to be there. We have a horse that loves soft ground and he jumped immaculately last time.'

(C) PA Sport