The 2018 Gold Cup winner Native River appeared to back to his best with an impressive nine and half length victory in the Virgin Best Cotswold Grade Chase.
The eleven-year-old was at the head affairs for most and took a commanding lead from before the second last and stayed on strongly for a comfortable victory over Bristol De Mai.
The Colin Tizzard gelding has been relatively lightly raced since his Gold Cup win, this was only his seventh appearance since that infamous win.
He made his seasonal re-appearance at Aintree in December when finishing an encouraging third behind Lake View Lad at Aintree in the Grade 2 Many Clouds Chase.
Native River ran just the once between the flags before joining Tizzard’s west country yard, when in a four-year-old maiden at Dromahane.
Then under the care of Denis Ahern, Native River was in third position after jumping the final fence, when hampered and parting company with Pa King.
Following that opening effort, Native River was bought privately by bloodstock agent Tom Malone to join current connections.
👑 Native River you are fantastic!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 6, 2021
âï¸ Another exhibition round of jumping from the former Gold Cup hero who lands the rescheduled Grade Two Cotswold Chase for @colintizzard & @dickyjohnson77 at @Sandownpark pic.twitter.com/yKFeFKShlW
