Runaway Welsh National hero is surprise Cheltenham Gold Cup contender

Gary Moore's Nassalam will run in the blue riband of jump racing if the ground turns up soft on March 15 after the seven-year-old's stunning display in Chepstow in December

Nassalam could make a surprise appearance in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup if the ground rides soft on the final day of the National Hunt Festival.

Gary Moore had planned to miss Cheltenham with his seven-year-old, who ran out the 34-length winner of the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow in December, and head straight to the Grand National at Aintree on April 13.

But the prospect of rain-softened terrain at the home of jump racing on Friday week has prompted the West Sussex trainer to consider a tilt at chasing’s blue riband, for which Nassalam’s odds range from 25-1 to 50-1.

“If the weather was like it was last week - all it’s done is rain down here - then I would definitely speak to the owners about it,” said Moore.

“He’s now got a rating of 161 so, according to the handicapper, he should be in the Gold Cup.

“It depends on the weather but he’s a young and improving horse so his best days should still be ahead of him.”

If Nassalam does contest the Gold Cup, Niall Houlian will take the mount after Caoilin Quinn, who partnered the gelded son of Dream

Well to victory at Chepstow, suffered a fractured collarbone in a fall at Plumpton last Monday.

“In this modern day it will be three weeks before he’s back,” added Moore.

Meanwhile, Monbeg Genius could bid to get his Grand National bid back on track at the Cheltenham Festival after a Premier Chase flop at Kelso on Saturday saw his Aintree odds drift to 33-1 from 16-1.