Shropshire has its best chance in recent years to win National Hunt racing’s blue riband event – the Cheltenham Gold Cup – next month.

That is the view of the Hales family, respected owners of Neptune Collonges who will be amongst the leading fancies at Prestbury Park in four weeks time.

The Paul Nicholls’ trained seven-year-old finished third last year behind stablemates Denman and Kauto Star.

But Denman fell well below those standards when he was beaten by 23 lengths in Saturday’s Levy Board Chase at Kempton, while Neptune Collonges finished just a length behind Kauto Star in last year’s Gold Cup.

All of which has convinced connections they have a genuine chance of landing the sport’s biggest prize after 28 horses – including all the likely contenders – stood their ground at the latest forfeit stage today.

“I think Neptune is the forgotten horse of the race and it’s probably our best chance of winning the Gold Cup since One Man went off favourite (in 1996 but finished sixth),” said Lisa Hales, daughter of Cosford businessman John. “All being well, he will go there with a really big chance.”

Neptune Collonges fell when leading on his seasonal re-appearance in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, and all eyes are on the weather ahead of a scheduled a pre-Festival outing this weekend.

The Shropshire raider was due to line up for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown last Sunday, but the meeting fell to the cold snap. The race has been re-arranged for this Sunday and is now the only option as another possible destination – Wincanton – today announced Saturday’s card will be an all-hurdles programme because of the weather.

Hales added: “If we can’t get a run in him this weekend, I would have thought that will be it before Cheltenham because it’s too close.

“That wouldn’t be ideal but it’s not a big concern and we would probably go for a racecourse gallop instead.”

The upbeat bulletin on Neptune Collonges provides some welcome positive news for the Hales family, who were rocked by Noland – another Festival hope – being ruled out for a year with a leg injury last week.

Hales is convinced Noland would have been “the one to beat” in the Ryanair Chase, but insists the injury is not career threatening.

By JAMES GARRISON