Johnson to renew acquaintance with Trouble

Richard Johnson will sit on Looks Like Trouble for the first time in 15 months when he partners the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite in a serious work-out tomorrow.

Looks Like Trouble injured a tendon when winning at Down Royal under Johnson in November 2000 and was consequently out of action for 15 months.

Johnson, who partnered Noel Chance`s stable star to victory in the 2000 Cheltenham Gold Cup, broke a leg at Exeter in October.

He therefore missed the triumphant return of the 10-year-old at Wincanton four weeks ago when Seamus Durack took over.

But Johnson has proved his fitness since returning to the saddle three weeks ago.

And Looks Like Trouble is reported to be in fine shape by his trainer.

'He had week off from the water treadmill and then he was in full training eight days after Wincanton and he hasn`t looked back since,' Chance told the Racing Channel this afternoon.

'He does a pretty serious piece of work in the morning, Richard Johnson is going to ride him and that will leave him pretty well set up for a racecourse gallop which Kempton have very kindly allowed us to go there after the Racing Post Chase.'

The Upper Lambourn trainer explained why Looks Like Trouble will go straight to Cheltenham without another run.

'I don`t think he needs another run before Cheltenham.

'Horses that are on their way back from injury, the more jumping and racing they do the greater the risk to the leg, so we figured that we were pretty well in front and ahead of schedule somewhat so we decided we would go straight for the Gold Cup.'

Chance is also careful to give the Zaffaran gelding the minimum of schooling.

'We don`t school him very much at all. He jumped the last fence at Down Royal the day he got injured and then he jumped three fences for Seamus Durack prior to the Wincanton run and then jumped around Wincanton.

'He will jump three fences for Richard Johnson prior to the Gold Cup and that`s it. We have never over schooled him because he is so exuberant,' he said.

Looks Like Trouble is currently the 4-1 favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.