Connections hoping A Plus Tard can bounce back Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is cautiously optimistic A Plus Tard will show his true colours in the Alder Hey Aintree Bowl on Thursday. Henry de Bromhead’s charge looked set to become the dominant force in the division following an imperious 15-length victory in last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, but little has gone right since. The nine-year-old returned unsatisfactory blood test results following a disappointing defence of the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, while a late setback denied him the opportunity to bounce back in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. Connections ultimately decided to head straight back to Cheltenham, where after travelling well for a long way, he was badly hampered by the fall of Ahoy Senor and the brought-down Sounds Russian, which ultimately led to him being pulled up by Rachael Blackmore. Having failed to complete a race since his Gold Cup romp 13 months ago, A Plus Tard clearly has questions to answer ahead of his first appearance at Aintree, but hopes are high in the Cheveley Park camp that he can get his career back on track. Thompson said: “It’s been a difficult season for him, as we all know. “He was travelling well in the Gold Cup until he got hampered. Would he have troubled the first two, who knows, but he was travelling well. “I think we’re just hoping that he can travel like that again and show the class that he’s got. We want to see a good, positive showing and signs that he is back to himself. “I’m not going to say he’s going to win it because it’s a very a hot race, but it’s great to be involved and we look forward to taking our chance. “He’s won four Grade Ones for us and is a double winner at Cheltenham. He’s won a Gold Cup and a Betfair Chase in imperious fashion — he’s been a great horse for us whatever happens.”
