Time Warp could be the forgotten horse in the Gold Cup and a better jump this time out should help his chances.

After leading all the way in the Hong Kong Cup, a blown start in the Stewards’ Cup destroyed his chances.

Purton hopes the bad barrier manners last month were simply a case of him being unfamiliar with the five-year-old.

“I had only been on the horse’s back once before that and that was in his race and he never gave me any inkling at all that he was a difficult horse in the barriers,” Purton said.

“So when he did what he did on that day, jumping in the air at the start, it caught me completely by surprise. Now that I am more aware of his mannerisms and what he is capable of, I have taken steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“I’ve had a chance to ride him in a few barrier trials and work on him in the gates. Unfortunately, we are dealing with animals and they have minds of their own and they can throw a bit of a wobbly from time to time – but I am hoping it was a one-off.”

Even though Time Warp had a few things going his way on international day, including a track that was helpful to on-pace runners and a sole lead, Purton is confident the free-going galloper can still get things done if conditions are not so favourable.

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“Just because he had a soft lead that day, I don’t think necessarily has to have it that way to be able to win,” he said.

“If he had to run along at faster sections he would have still given a kick in the straight and been very hard to beat. It appeared as though they handed it to him but I have confidence in him that he can be handle a little more pressure and be effective.”