Cue Card attempts to emulate the feat of Kauto Star.

By Simon Jackson.

Colin Tizzard believes he has a better chance of landing the Cheltenham Gold Cup than he did when winning the King George with Cue Card who is now in line for a £1million bonus.

Cue Card continued his superb form this season with a thrilling victory in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.

The tenacious victory under Paddy Brennan leaves the 10-year-old unbeaten in three starts this campaign after successes in the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase and the Grade 1 Betfair Chase.

The Betfair and King George are the first two legs of the £1million Chase Triple Crown which culminates with the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday March 18.

“If I could win the Gold Cup, it would be the pinnacle of training – it would last forever,” Tizzard said. “The money (including the £1million bonus) is fantastic and a lovely idea for the stable staff, the owners and everybody else. Money goes, doesn’t it – I can pay off part of my mortgage and it will be gone.

“I think we have got a better chance of winning the Gold Cup than we did approaching the King George. He likes Cheltenham and is brilliant round there. He can come down the hill, have a breather and go again.

“The Gold Cup is the best race – it may not be the biggest, the Grand National is, but for me it is the best.”

If successful, the £1million bonus would be split £650,000 to Cue Card’s owner, Jean Bishop, £150,000 to Tizzard, £100,000 to Brennan, and £100,000 for Tizzard’s stable staff.

Paul Fisher, Group Managing Director of Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “We’d really love it if Cue Card goes on to win the Chase Triple Crown and the £1million bonus for connections that comes with it.

“It would be a fantastic achievement that all started back in November at Haydock Park and would see Cue Card emulate that great chaser of our time, Kauto Star, the like I thought we may never see again.

“If Cue Card does win the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, he will deserve his place in the history books.”

Read ‘Horse Talk with Simon Jackson’ at London24 for the latest horse racing news.