Paul Nicholls stable tour: Bravemansgame leads Cheltenham Festival team for champion trainer | Racing News

Paul Nicholls is keen to let Bravemansgame do the talking as the star novice
chaser prepares to lead Team Ditcheat’s challenge at this year’s Cheltenham
Festival.

It was after the seven-year-old romped home in the 2020 Challow Novices’ Hurdle that the 12-times champion trainer first mentioned the £370,000 purchase in the same breath as the great Denman.

In a fortnight’s time he will now bid to emulate the one-time Nicholls star by landing the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (formerly the RSA).

Nicholls discussed Bravemansgame as well as some of his other Cheltenham Festival stars in our stable tour.

Bravemansgame

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

Bravemansgame is a fantastic looking horse and has done everything right. We got well and truly put in our place last year by Bob Olinger, but he still ran well.

He’s won four from four this season and is now rated 164, which is a high mark for a novice.

Nobody knows what is going to turn up, but he’ll run in the three-mile race unless it was really attractional. If it got heavy we might think about the shorter race.

If a horse like Galopin Des Champs turns up of course you’d be nervous, but we’re going into it with a stronger horse than we had last year and he keeps winning – he’s a lovely horse with a lovely chance.

Threeunderthrufive

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

He’s won his last last four. I think we placed him quite nicely to win those races, but he’s tough, genuine and stays.

He’s going to run in the Brown Advisory alongside Bravemansgame at the request of the owner. They’re quite keen for Adrian (Heskin) to stay on him.

He is in the Ultima on the first day but they’ve got another horse, so he won’t run in that, and he’s still in the amateur race.

If I had a free hand and they weren’t so keen I would have a look at that, although I wouldn’t be conclusive about it.

Whatever race he runs in, he’s tough and genuine and he’s probably a little bit under the radar.

Saint Calvados

Ryanair Chase

He was second in the Ryanair two seasons ago and I think we worked out at Ascot the other day that he needs to go left-handed and also wants good ground.

He ran very well in the King George when he got there too soon and he bled the other day at Ascot, so we’ve changed his routine accordingly.

I haven’t written him off yet and if we can get some nice spring ground there’ll be a nice race in him somewhere. He can be very competitive in a race like the Ryanair.

Frodon

Ultima Handicap Chase

He’s been an amazing horse and he won what was his Gold Cup first time out this year at Down Royal,” Nicholls continued.

It didn’t quite work out in the King George when they went a bit quick and the ground was a bit soft, and he didn’t run a particularly good race at Leopardstown. He probably wants better ground now.

He’s rated 164, which is the same mark he won his last handicap off two years ago at Cheltenham.

He went to Wincanton and worked this morning and didn’t particularly like the soft ground, so we’re just going to monitor what the ground does.

If it was soft on the first day of Cheltenham, I’ll wait for Sandown I suspect, or even consider Aintree if the ground was good.

Stage Star

Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle

He was a good bumper horse last year and was always going to be a better horse this year. He’s won all three of his novice hurdles and you just wouldn’t know how good he might be.

He was ready to go to Exeter a fortnight ago, but the ground was so heavy that day and I didn’t want to give him a hard race, so we’ve just kept him nice and fresh.

He had a piece of work at Wincanton 10 days ago and went very nicely with Monmiral.

He’s probably one of our best chances of the week, I would say, and whatever happens he’ll be a lovely horse to go chasing next season.

McFabulous

Coral Cup

He’s rated 150 and has 11st 8lb, but it looks like it could be a condensed handicap.

I would have liked to have gone chasing with him this year, but he had an accident in the yard earlier in the season which set us back.

He ran in the Relkeel and ran really well despite needing the run badly. We then went to the Cleeve and he blatantly didn’t get three miles up the Cheltenham hill.

After that I said we’d go for the Coral Cup over two-miles-five, which should be the perfect trip.

He went to Wincanton this morning (Thursday) and worked beautifully. I’d say he’s just starting to come right.

Knappers Hill

Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle

He’s on a nice mark on 135, but he’ll be struggling to get in.

If he gets in, he’ll run. He got pushed wide in the Betfair and stayed on, beaten six lengths. I’d say he’s doubtful to get in, in which case we’d go to Aintree.

Bell Ex One

Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

He’s won over hurdles and on the Flat in Ireland. He went to Wincanton, galloped quite nicely but I haven’t run him so I don’t know much about him.

I’d say on what he’s done, 130 is quite a stiff mark. I’ve kept him for this, he just wouldn’t have been ready to have a run.

He’s a bit of a dark horse, Harry (Cobden) rode him work and loved him, but I wouldn’t really have an opinion. He’s a nice horse and does everything right.

Others

Nicholls rates hunter chase contender Bob and Co as one of his “best chances of the week”, while Il Ridoto and Thyme White will give a strong hand in the Grand Annual.

He said: “Il Ridoto needs a gallop like he’ll get in the Grand Annual, where they’ll go absolutely flat out and he can creep through and hopefully stay on up the hill. He’s got an each-way chance.

“We’ve protected Thyme White’s mark by not running him since he won at Doncaster in December. He went to Wincanton this morning and really caught my eye – he worked beautifully.

“He’s a lovely, big horse. He’s got to overcome inexperience, but he does travel well and he does jump well, so I’d like to think he’s got a great chance.”