Haydock Park’s Betfair Chase champion Lostintranslation is out to prove he is not the forgotten horse in next Friday’s Magners Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Lostintranslation sparkled when claiming the Betfair Chase title in splendid fashion to defeat course specialist Bristol De Mai at Haydock Park in November.

But a lack-lustre display in the King George V1 Chase means Lostintranslation will need to rekindle that Haydock Park form if he hopes to make a powerful challenge for the coveted Gold Cup crown.

“We’ve not lost faith in Lostintranslation – he is an exceptional horse,” said Joe Tizzard, assistant trainer to his father Colin.

“The season was going perfectly after Haydock Park and the wheels fell off a bit at Kempton.

“Perhaps he had a harder race than we thought at Haydock Park, it was just four weeks between the Betfair Chase and the King George V1, and maybe it took a toll on him.

“But he really has come back to himself at home in the last few weeks and he looks a picture.

“We have him right back to where we want him.”

Lostintranslation has undergone a wind operation since his last appearance at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.

“Some have said that he is a bit of a forgotten horse, but I quite like the fact it has gone a bit quiet and there is no pressure on him ahead of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

“Also, he has got cracking form around Cheltenham, winning the Dipper Novices and second in the Golden Miller (Grade One race) last year.

“There is always the question mark about that extra couple of furlongs up the hill and it takes some getting, but if there is some genuine good to soft ground, I think he could just travel into it and be bang there at the last.

“The Cheltenham Gold Cup trip (3 miles, 2 furlongs) shouldn’t be a problem as he got three miles around Aintree really well last year.”

Assessing the potential opposition, Tizzard rates 2019 Gold Cup champion Al Boum Photo from the yard of Irish trainer Willie Mullins as the biggest danger to Lostintranslation.

“It is very difficult for horses to win two Gold Cups, but I certainly wouldn’t rule him out (Al Boum Photo) as they have looked after him well and he goes there a fresh horse.

“I think it is a wide-open race and as competitive a race as you can get.”

Haydock Park returns to race action with a midweek fixture on Wednesday, March 18.

Tickets, 0344 579 3006, thejockeyclub.co.uk/haydock