CONEYGREE has got Letcombe Bassett trainer Mark Bradstock and his wife, Sara, bubbling with excitement as he prepares to make his comeback.

The nine-year-old brought the house down when becoming the first novice in 41 years to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2015, but has not been seen in action since winning his only start of last season at Sandown last November.

However, the Bradstocks have been thrilled with how their pride and joy has recovered from a hock injury as he closes in on a return.

And they are keen to give him the best possible chance of winning the Jockey Club Chase Triple Crown – with a £1m bonus on offer for any horse who can land the Betfair Chase, the King George VI Chase and the Gold Cup.

Sara Bradstock said: “He’s very good and we’re just waiting for the rain.

“We are desperate to get on the grass – he needs to train on the grass having had all that time off – but everything he’s doing on the all-weather gallop is very exciting.”

Now Coneygree appears increasingly likely to sidestep the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on October 29, and instead have a racecourse gallop at Haydock with a view to making his comeback in the Betfair Chase at the Lancashire track on November 19.

“He’ll probably have to go straight to the Betfair Chase as the Charlie Hall is probably too close,” added Sara. “The only thing that would send us there (Wetherby) would be if it was good to soft ground.

“We want to have a tilt at the million and if we’re going to have a racecourse gallop beforehand, it will probably be at Haydock. It’s a long way to go for a gallop, but they are providing the facilities for us.”

Blewbury trainer Eve Johnson Houghton has been enjoying her best season to date, and McCools Gold took her tally to 40 this year with victory at Bath.

The three-year-old appreciated a step up in trip to get off the mark by coming home three-quarters of a length clear of Endive in a handicap over two miles and a furlong under John Fahy.

Wantage trainer Henry Candy landed the Somerset track’s final race of 2016 when Free Passage opened his account in an extended mile and three furlong handicap in the hands of Dane O’Neill.