CUE Card is in line for a mouthwatering clash with Gold Cup hero Don Cossack at Punchestown.

Colin Tizzard’s stable star gained glorious redemption for his costly Cheltenham fall with a stunning display in the Betfred Bowl at Aintree on Thursday.

The Milborne Port handler’s pride and joy has enjoyed a fantastic campaign, winning the Betfair Chase at Haydock and a humdinger of a King George at Kempton to leave him in line or a £1million bonus if he could claim the Gold Cup at Prestbury Park.

The dream was still very much alive when he took a chance at the third-last and paid the penalty, but having suffered no ill effects, he was the 6-5 favourite to bounce back on Merseyside.

Cue Card travelled with his trademark panache and jumped accurately for the most part in the hands of Paddy Brennan.

The Willie Mullins-trained pair of Djakadam and Don Poli, second and third respectively in the Gold Cup, raised the stakes heading down the back straight, injecting pace in an apparent attempt to draw the sting or a mistake out of the market leader.

But there was to be no repeat of his Cheltenham blip, with Cue Card covering the move with ease and powering clear from the third-last to score by nine lengths.

Don Poli reversed form with his stable companion to fill the runner-up spot.

Tizzard: ‘’I’ve said all season he’s in the form of his life and he’s just shown it again.

‘’He has such an engine on him. He was fantastic.

‘’I think we might have won (the Gold Cup) – it felt like one got away – but you’ve got to jump the fences and he didn’t at Cheltenham.

‘’We just thank god he got up and he trotted up the next morning as sound as a pound, as if he hadn’t had a race.

‘’It’s a relief with him, as we almost expect him to do it. I’ve never seen him look so well as he did on Thursday. ‘It was so disappointing what happened at Cheltenham and I’m just so proud of the horse to come back and do that.

‘’It’s a brilliant day.’’

‘’He’ll go to Punchestown. It’s got to be on the cards as he hasn’t had a hard race. There’s absolutely no reason not to go there,’’ the trainer added.

Brennan, a jockey renowned for wearing his heart on his sleeve, felt Cue Card’s Gold Cup exit more than most, but he was thrilled to gain some compensation.

‘’Cue Card is the people’s horse and the local hero. The support has been unbelievable,’’ said Brennan.