English/Ire
Rebecca Curtis happy with Haiti Couleurs ahead of Denman bid
“It’s a totally different race but I’d still fancy him to run very well”
Rebecca Curtis is expecting to see a big bid from her stable star Haiti Couleurs when he heads to Newbury for the William Hill Denman Chase on Saturday.
The nine-year-old staying chaser has taken his form to a new level since scoring at last year's Cheltenham Festival, landing the Irish Grand National the following month before returning to action with a battling success over hurdles at Newbury.
Rebecca Curtis' star failed to land a blow when upped to Grade 1 level in the Betfair Chase at Haydock earlier in the season, but it didn't take him long to get back on track as he produced a fine staying performance to provide his local handler with a first Welsh National triumph at Chepstow over Christmas.
"He's been truly amazing for the yard and he just keeps delivering," said Curtis on Sky Sports Racing.
"He just seems to get better and better with every run. I think the fact he went on that nicer ground (in the Welsh National) just shows he has got that bit of class; it wasn't an old slog in the mud.
"He's won most of the handicaps he's run in, so he just keeps going up and up and we'd like to try him now in graded company because he's probably at the top-end of running in those staying handicaps and giving all that weight away."
The progressive son of Dragon Dancer had been set to make the journey across the Irish Sea for last weekend's Irish Gold Cup but after travel and ground concerns put paid to those plans, Rebecca Curtis decided to reroute him to Newbury.
"It'll be very interesting on Saturday and going forward to the Gold Cup," said Curtis.
"He's always been ridden handily or made the running, so I don't think it really matters there are less runners."
Just six horses featured at Monday's five-day entry stage, with Haiti Couleurs potentially in line to take on current Cheltenham Gold Cup market leader and King George fourth Jango Baie.
Curtis, who was delighted to have skipped a trip to Ireland after watching Fact To File strut his stuff in the Irish Gold Cup yesterday, added: "Obviously, Jango Baie is now favourite for the Gold Cup so he's got a tough one to take on there, but I am happy that the ground is going to be fairly soft and testing, so at least his stamina should come into play.
"It's a completely different test but he's got good form around Newbury, I was shocked he manged to win over hurdles off 145 around there on goodish ground, so we know he acts on the track.
"It's a totally different race but I'd still fancy him to run very well. Watching the Irish Gold Cup I was delighted we made the decision we made, there were too many question marks going into it for us with the travel and the ground, then watching it I thought they finished very tired horses.
"It just looked an old slog and I'm glad we stayed away for it."
Haiti Couleurs is a general 10/1 chance the Friday feature at the Cheltenham Festival and Curtis confirmed that remains his intended destination should things go to plan on Saturday.
"Providing he runs a good race this Saturday, even if he was to get beat but runs a good race, we'll still end up going for the Gold Cup," said Curtis.
"I think you have a track that he absolutely loves, he loves going up and down hills, plus the extra two furlongs. I do think it takes a real stayer to the win the Gold Cup and whatever happens Saturday, providing it's not horrendous, we'll definitely be going to Cheltenham with him."
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