The brilliant staying hurdler Thistlecrack will make his much anticipated chase debut at Chepstow today.

The Colin Tizzard-trained eight-year-old possesses a phenomenal engine and few before him have been as impressive in staying hurdles events.

If everything goes according to plan this season, he will attempt in March to become the second novice in three years to win the world’s most prestigious chase, the Gr 1 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

A novice had not won the Gold Cup for 40 years before Coneygree did it in 2015.

Unsuitably quick ground forced Tizzard to scrap his original plan to launch the reigning World Hurdle champ over fences early this month.

His participation today was also in question.

Tizzard said midway through last week, “If the ground is right we are going to go. He schooled again today and he is ready to go, but who knows what the ground is going to be like? If that doesn’t work out, he will have an entry at Wetherby.”

Thistlecrack has duly been declared with his regular pilot Tom Scudamore aboard. The rain which fell in Chepstow recently would have helped, although the ground remains good. Thistlecrack won all five races last season, including three in Gr 1 company.

The race, a Novices’ Chase over 2 miles-7 furlongs-and-131 yards, takes place at 4.35pm South African time today and will be aired on Tellytrack.

David Thiselton