Davids Lad is Thomas Pink possible

Tony Martin`s impressive Irish Grand National winner Davids Lad could bid for the Stg#100,000 Thomas Pink Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 17th, it was revealed today.

Bright Highway was the last Irish-trained horse to land the first big handicap chase of the British jumps season when he took the two-and-a-half-mile test in 1980.

Davids Lad has won six races since the start of last season, including the Food Brokers Handicap Chase over the Thomas Pink Gold Cup course and distance in good style at Cheltenham last year.

On Monday the seven-year-old proved his versatility on his return to action with victory in a two-mile chase at Roscommon, scoring by five lengths.

Martin said: 'Davids Lad will have one more run fairly soon and then we will put him away until mid-November. His race then may well be the Thomas Pink Gold Cup.

'He`s a big galloping horse and Cheltenham is a track that suits him - he wouldn`t like a tight course.'

When Davids Lad had his first startover fences last September, he was rated 83 and has now climbed to an official rating of 147.

Understandably, Martin is concerned about this huge rise.

He said: 'It`s going to make it very difficult this season - he`s taken some hike in the handicap.'

Cheltenham is repeating its travel allowance scheme for overseas-trained runners at The Open 2001 (November 16th, 17th and 18th).

So Irish and other overseas-trained horses who do not pick up any prize money at the three-day meeting, qualify for a Stg#750 travel allowance, with Stg#1,000 paid for participation in the three major races, the Thomas Pink Gold Cup, the Stg#50,000 Intervet Trophy and the Stg#50,000 Direct Answers Handicap Hurdle.