Cape Tribulation’s victory at Cheltenham on Saturday was one of several clues to be unearthed on a day that is routinely used as a key trial for the Cheltenham Festival in March.

The nine-year-old’s win in the Grade 2 Argento Chase continued his good form from last season and at 33-1 (Ladbrokes) he looks a great each way bet in the Gold Cup.

“I think now we will probably have to go for the Gold Cup,” Jefferson said. “I wouldn’t say he is going to win a Gold Cup but he might just be placed in one, and it would probably be as easy to be placed in this year’s race than in a big handicap because we are going to be up there in the weights.”

Elsewhere, Reve De Sivola enhanced his claims for the World Hurdle with a win in the Cleeve Hurdle, while Sprinter Sacre is best priced at 2-5 for the Queen Mother Champion Chase after his victory in the Grade 1 Victor Chandler Chase.

“It is so easy for him,” Sprinter Sacre’s jockey Barry Geraghty said. “He is so natural. He travels so easy, he jumps so well. He is another class.”

In other news, Saturday’s big race sponsors BetVictor have announced a 33-meeting, six-figure sponsorship deal with Kempton Park racecourse.

BetVictor’s director of marketing Karl Riley, said: “Cheltenham hosted our flagship event, the Victor Chandler Chase, and this sponsorship shows we are equally committed to helping ‘grassroots’ racing.”

Simon Jackson is a freelance racing journalist based in north west London. He can be reached at jacksonsports1@yahoo.co.uk for press and PR enquiries, or racing/betting related news stories and features.