Twiston-Davies sees Commander improvement

Nigel Twiston-Davies has fired a warning shot across the bow of Imperial Commander's Betfair Chase rivals that he feels his star performer could be better than ever this season.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup hero makes his seasonal reappearance in Saturday's Grade One at Haydock, just as he did 12 months ago.

Last year's renewal turned out to be one of the races of the season as Imperial Commander and Kauto Star passed the post seemingly as one, only for the judge to announce Kauto Star as the victor by a nose.

Imperial Commander will doubtless be all the rage to avenge that narrow defeat this time around and ominously, his trainer believes he is in even better shape.

"He's in great nick, he's fitter than we have had him in previous seasons and we're expecting a very good run," said the Naunton handler.

"We think he could be better this year. We're probably grabbing at straws, but we think he's showing us signs that he's better.

"It makes me sick most mornings feeling the pressure of training a Gold Cup winner and he's got such a blindingly obvious case that he has to win.

"We learn a little bit more about him every year. He hasn't been the easiest to train as he can go very wrong but he's in the form of his life at the moment.

"He can have back problems and problems with muck in his lungs, but he's clean as a whistle and sound as a pound at the moment.

"It's very uncomplicated this year. We're going to go to the Betfair, the King George and then the Gold Cup, just the three will be his season."

Many will question the decision to take Imperial Commander back to Kempton on Boxing Day given he has disappointed in the race for the last two years, but Twiston-Davies believes there were excuses on both occasions.

"I'm confident he goes right-handed and he's had valid excuses at Kempton for the last two years," the trainer told At The Races.

"The first time he was the only horse to serve it up to Kauto Star and he tired round the bottom bend. When he came back his lungs were full of muck so that was the end of that.

"Last year he split the second fence as he was blinded. He was right out the back and did well to finish fifth.

"He doesn't jump to the left or anything like that. People get too worked up about it."

The Tom George-trained Nacarat has already shown his well being this season with a brilliant display in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

His owner Simon Clarke admits he is finding it difficult to be too confident with the Gold Cup winner in the line-up, but he is looking forward to the race nonetheless.

"It's tremendously exciting. I don't know what you would make if you bottled it but it's a mixture of excitement, great emotion and a few nerves," said Clarke.

"He was great at Wetherby and was back to his best jumping form. He really enjoyed his race and hopefully he's feeling as good on Saturday.

"We don't want too much more rain I don't think, but I'll be happy if it stays as it is now."

With his Charlie Hall jockey Sam Thomas opting to ride What A Friend, the dashing grey will be ridden by Paul Moloney this weekend, but Clarke does not see the change of pilot being a problem.

"The horse isn't bothered by much really and just likes to get on and do his thing," he continued.

"Paul has ridden him before so I'm very happy to have him on board again.

"I think Tom and his team have done a great job with the horse. He was difficult to train last year but they seem to have worked a few things out and everything has gone much better this season.

"I'm going there more in hope than expectation. There are some very good horses in the race and it's just great to be a part of it.

"A lot of it will come down to who jumps on the day and who stays, but we know that when our horse is on song, he's a joy to watch."

What A Friend's trainer Paul Nicholls is delighted with his gelding's current form, but admits he needs to take another step forward if he is going to trouble the top players in the staying division.

"He looks great," Nicholls said.

"He's got a mountain to climb on what he's achieved to date with both Imperial Commander and Planet Of Sound, but he's a young horse and we're going to give it a shot.

"The last twice he's won Grade One races and he's entitled to improve.

"We've always thought his breathing was a little bit suspect but he kept on winning, so we did nothing about it.

"But Ruby (Walsh) got off him at Aintree and said if we sorted his breathing out he'd be a lot better, so we did it straight away."

It would take a brave man to completely write off the chances of Howard Johnson's mercurial talent Tidal Bay.

The nine-year-old was a brilliant winner of the 2008 Arkle Trophy and his defeat of Time For Rupert in January's Cleeve Hurdle shows the talent he possesses.

He looked likely to be pulled up when dropping himself out on his return to action in the John Smith's Hurdle at Wetherby, but he then consented to run on again and was not beaten all that far into third.

He returns to the larger obstacles this weekend and his owner Graham Wylie admits it is difficult to know what to expect.

"Tidal Bay is such an enigma. We put him in the three-mile hurdle at Wetherby and he was going well for the first mile but he got a bit bored," said Wylie.

"He's the sort of horse that needs to do something different so we'll go back chasing with him and see how he gets on.

"I've no idea how he'll get on but he seems fit and well.

"He had a canter on Tuesday and Howard was pleased with him.

"He's nearly 10 years old now and we still don't know what his trip is, what ground he prefers, what's his favourite course and it seems like every time he runs in the same race twice, he doesn't like it so we'll keep it simple.

"I don't think Imperial Commander should be worried but we'll give it a go."

Jimmy Moffatt's Chief Dan George has his first start since winning the William Hill Trophy at Cheltenham in March.

He has some 40lb to find with Imperial Commander on official ratings but his trainer sees this race as an ideal starting point for the campaign.

"We've taken on Imperial Commander once before and beaten him. We beat him in the Sefton Hurdle at Aintree. That's just a straw we can hold on to," said Moffatt.

"The horse is in good form. He'll gallop all the way to the line and he won't disgrace himself.

"It might seem a bit odd running in the Betfair Chase with regard to the handicap mark, but it's a small field and there is such a good prize we're willing to give it a go.

"He won't detract from the race. We'll need a lot of luck, but we're looking forward to it."