Native River’s position towards the head of the Gold Cup market before Saturday was probably a default position. All the Gold Cup players had already played at least a couple of hands and with no aces showing, Colin Tizzard's eight-year-old seemed to go forward by just standing still.
On Saturday the door was open for him to make a mark, and although he didn't set the world alight, connections were understandably more than happy with his first run since finishing third in the Cheltenham Festival blue riband last season.
SHARING OPTIONS: