ANDREW Thornton pledged his allegiance to Dorset challenger Kingscliff as the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup betting was thrown into confusion following the tragic death of Jair du Cochet.

Thornton, who returned on Monday from a five-week absence with a broken arm, went to Robert Alner's yard at Droop near Blandford to school the stable's other Festival hopeful Sir Rembrandt yesterday and was suitably impressed.

However, he has confirmed that Kingscliff will be his Gold Cup ride. "I got a very good feel from Sir Rembrandt when I popped him over a dozen fences. There was no hanging, and he didn't jump out to the right.

"It's great that he looks to be back in the Gold Cup running. But unless something untoward happens, I shall stick with Kingscliff and I imagine I will ride him in work when I go down to Robert's on Friday."

It was Alner who revealed that Sir Rembrandt, pulled up on both of his last two starts, was back on course for the Festival, admitting at the same time that a number of his horses were under a cloud last month.

Alner said: "Some of them were found to have mucus on their lungs, but I have been very encouraged by the way my recent runners like Even More and Twisted Logic have performed. I'm pretty sure we're out of the woods.

"Sir Rembrandt pleased me and we haven't totally dismissed the idea of running him in the Gold Cup, while Kingscliff had a school last week and jumped beautifully."

* Alner sent out Twisted Logic to win the Tote Devon National Handicap Chase at Exeter under Robert Walford, yesterday.

Walford brought the 11-year-old with a well-timed challenge up the home straight before grinding out a half-length success from Comanche War Paint when leading on the run to the line.

Meanwhile Dorset jockey Joe Tizzard was also in the winner's enclosure at Exeter after partnering Rydon Lane to victory in the handicap hurdle event.