Teaforthree's part-owner Nigel Roddis believes Saturday will be the day of reckoning for his horse as he attempts to justify ante-post favouritism for the Coral Welsh National.

Trainer Rebecca Curtis has long planned this rescheduled Chepstow marathon for last season's National Hunt Chase hero and his odds have hardened with the booking of champion jockey Tony McCoy.

After an encouraging comeback at Cheltenham in November, Teaforthree was most recently seen finishing sixth behind Bobs Worth in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

"It's disappointing that the race didn't happen on the 27th, but Chepstow have done a great job to get it on," said Roddis.

"He's fit and well. The Cheltenham run was as expected, but he's a big horse - an old-fashioned chaser - and he needs a couple of runs to get him going.

"The stats of horses going on from the Hennessy to the Welsh National aren't encouraging, but AP was not hard on him when he realised the race was over at Newbury. The weight looks OK - you are always worried something will appear on 10st in a race like this - but we are happy enough with 11st 3lb."

Curtis has been thrilled with his preparation and feels he is coming to the boil nicely. "He came out of his Hennessy run really well, he always takes a couple of runs to warm up and we hope we've got him bang on," she said.

Paul Nicholls seeks a third win in the big race, and his first since 2005, as he saddles Michel Le Bon.

Nicholls wrote in his Betfair blog: "He ran really well when he was second to The Package in the Badger Ales Chase and they were a mile clear of everything. The Package didn't let the form down in the Hennessy.

"He loves soft ground and stays forever. I'd be very hopeful with a light weight he'll go very nicely."

13 May 2013

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12 May 2013

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11 May 2013

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10 May 2013

Telescope focus is on Dante
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