COLIN Tizzard insists Thistlecrack will need to jump better than he did in the Cotswold Chase if he is to win the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.

With all the major trials now out of the way, Tizzard’s novice, who has already won the King George VI Chase this season, is still the general 7-4 favourite.

He lost his unbeaten record over fences to the ill-fated Many Clouds last time out but the Dorset handler feels he can be sharper in the jumping department come March.

“Thistlecrack’s fine, he had a hard old race at Cheltenham,’’ he told Racing UK.

“I didn’t like to say much on the day because of what happened to poor old Many Clouds and we were beaten by a better horse on the day.

“He wasn’t as flamboyant as he can be, they’re not machines, but we’ve all visibly seen him jump more fluidly than that.

“Hopefully he’ll be right back to that at Cheltenham.’’

Meanwhile, the Milborne Port handler insisted he was no nearer to knowing which race Finian’s Oscar would run in at Cheltenham after he predictably outclassed his rivals in the Free Bet At 188Bet Novices’ Hurdle at Exeter at the weekend.

Snapped up for £250,000 by Alan and Ann Potts after winning his only start in the Irish point-to-point field, the five-year-old made an impressive debut for Tizzard at Hereford before graduating to Grade One level with honours after producing a sparkling display in the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown.

Already ante-post favourite for the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle and also holding an entry in the shorter Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Finian’s Oscar was extremely prohibitive odds to complete his hat-trick in this Listed contest as the 1-16 favourite.

It was fairly plain sailing for Tom O’Brien’s mount, with the handsome gelding initially tracking Taws before taking over the running in the back straight.

While the rest faltered - with Whatmore running out and smashing through the wings of one hurdle - Taws did his best to keep tabs on Finian’s Oscar rounding the home turn.

But Tizzard’s ace had too many guns and safely negotiated the remaining obstacles to prevail by four and a half lengths.

Tizzard said: “That hasn’t told us anything and I’m still in the dark as to whether he will run in the Neptune or the Supreme. I really don’t know which one.

“We will talk about it in the next two weeks. All we know is that was only his third hurdle race and it shows his well-being, nothing more. He’s a very relaxed horse, as we saw today, but we haven’t really gained anything.

“Everyone was in today’s race at the five-day stage, but they backed off.”

Tea For Two came out on top in an incident-packed running of the 188bet.co.uk Graduation Chase.

Much interest surrounded the Tizzard-trained Alary, who was on a mission to redeem his tall reputation having been pulled up on his British debut in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock.

It looked like he would do just that when left in front by the fall of early leader Carraig Mor six out, with 8-11 favourite Tea For Two having to be niggled to get on terms.

The market leader responded well for Lizzie Kelly, though, and had got the measure of Alary when he crashed out at the third-last, taking a heavy fall but thankfully getting to his feet.

Tea For Two, meanwhile, strode on to a 17-length victory over Henri Parry Morgan, who was the only other finisher.