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Nigel Twiston-Davies Looks Forward to Cheltenham
02/03/11

Nigel Twiston-Davies is in a confident mood ahead of The Festival which starts in two weeks time.

Imperial Commander
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He is expecting to saddle a team of 20-25 runners at Cheltenham over the best four days of the season - from Tuesday, March 15 to Friday, March 18.

The trainer said during a media visit to his Gloucestershire base near Naunton yesterday: “The horses all look absolutely fabulous - I am very pleased and everything is going right at the moment and let’s hope that carries on.

“Imperial Commander seems brimming with health and happiness. He was in great shape last year and we cannot say he is better than that this year. I think it would be foolish to say that but he is in very good nick.

“I very much hope he can win the Cheltenham Gold Cup again - no hugely worrying horse has turned up on the scene and he has to take on the old guard again, and let’s hope he can do so successfully.

“The standard of the Gold Cup is high - they are good Gold Cups at the moment and if we can win then Imperial Commander will be up there with the best of all time.

“We have got the best horse in the country and it is nice to be able to say that. Last year we were forgotten and nobody thought we had a chance and so to win the Gold Cup was brilliant. Now I have the champion and he has to beat them all off again.

“We were confident last year and we are confident again this year because we are expected to win.

“Imperial Commander is bouncing now. He looks great and had a very good racecourse gallop the other day, and I am more than happy.

“He hasn’t got many miles on the clock and I don’t think 10 is very old. These French horses start racing at three and he was doing nothing until he was five. I don’t think age is a problem. He is not difficult to get fit - he needs a lot of work but is very honest, kind and gentle.

“I could not be happier and I don’t want to change anything. I was pleased with both his racecourse gallops - at Warwick and Kempton The Warwick one was probably better and he worked there with a lovely horse called Oscar Magic who subsequently won a Kempton bumper very easily. Jockeys are hopeless work riders as they think they have to win everything. Imperial Commander wasn’t going to beat a very fast horse over two miles.

“I fear the old brigade of Denman and Kauto Star more than Long Run and Diamond Harry but he beat them last year. He seems a worthy favourite as I cannot think of a horse who deserves to be in front of him. He will win.

Khyber Kim
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