All eyes on L’Homme Presse return to the Gold Cup mix

Lingfield’s Fleur De Lys Chase set to be highly informative.

L’Homme Presse sets out to prove he very much remains a Cheltenham Gold Cup contender when he makes his eagerly-awaited comeback in the Fitzdares Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield.

The feature of Lingfield’s Winter Million Festival has attracted a field of six and it is Venetia Williams’ high-class staying chaser that sets the standard, despite being off the track for over a year.

He looked booked for second in the King George VI Chase before unshipping his big-race pilot Charlie Deutsch at the last while giving chase to Bravemansgame, and before that had built up an impressive chasing CV which includes victory at the Cheltenham Festival as a novice and a mammoth effort off top-weight in Newcastle’s Rehearsal Chase.

L'Homme Presse was last seen unseating Charlie Deutsch in the 2022 King George VI Chase
L’Homme Presse was last seen unseating Charlie Deutsch in the 2022 King George VI Chase (John Walton/PA)

Following a long 13-month wait, L’Homme Presse – who is as short as 12-1 for the Gold Cup – now seeks to reaffirm his position towards the top of the staying chasing ranks, with connections optimistic of a bold bid in the two-mile-six-furlong affair.

“It’s been a long 13 months and a lot of effort has been put in to get him back,” said Andy Edwards, who owns L’Homme Presse in partnership with Peter Pink.

“This trip, for his comeback is ideal really, it’s an intermediate trip and it should suit him down to the ground.

“He doesn’t lack in pace and he certainly doesn’t lack in staying power as we saw in the Brown Advisory.

“He is ready to go, but he has had 13 months off. He’s run well fresh before, but whether he can run to the top of his form having had so long off we will find out.

“It’s no good looking at basic ratings because that is the best he has ever done and it’s unlikely he can achieve that first time out, but of course we are hopeful that he can.”

Dan and Harry Skelton with Protektorat at Skelton's Lodge Hill stables
Dan and Harry Skelton with Protektorat at Skelton’s Lodge Hill stables (Jacob King/PA)

L’Homme Presse will be in receipt of 4lb from former Gold Cup third Protektorat, with Dan Skelton switching tactics to target this race after the nine-year-old’s failure to defend his Betfair Chase crown in November.

He has since run in handicap company at Cheltenham and his handler is confident he has his Grade One scorer in peak condition as he searches for a slice of the GBP 165,000 prize-fund.

“He’s in good form and we were always coming here after the December race,” said Skelton.

“He’s got a job on giving weight away to a few, but it’s a race we’ve always had in mind and I’m very happy with him.

“If it’s not happening, you have got to change and we’re changing up. The trip is no issue and I’m really looking forward to running him.”

Fergal O’Brien’s Highland Hunter and Sam Thomas’ Welsh Grand National winner Iwilldoit are both 11 now and will attempt to land a blow for the veterans, while Kim Bailey won the inaugural running of this race with Two For Gold and attempts to repeat the dose with Does He Know.

The field is rounded off by Gary Moore’s Full Back, who is a long way adrift of his rivals on ratings and returns from 434 days off the track.

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