Paul Nicholls: British trainers in “better place” heading into Cheltenham
PAUL Nicholls is confident that British trainers can challenge Ireland’s dominance at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, with the Ditcheat-based trainer suggesting Britain are going into Cheltenham “in a better place than we’ve been for the last few years”.
Ireland won the Prestbury Cup by a huge 20-8 margin last year, but Nicholls believes the likes of Nicky Henderson, Dan Skelton and Ben Pauling can help narrow the gap 12 months later.
Speaking a media event organised by The Jockey Club, he said: “Nicky has got a good team of horses and I’ve got some nice chances and there’s all those good young trainers that have probably worked for me or for Nicky that are doing really well. So, I think we’re in a better place than we’ve been for the last few years and, looking at the betting, hopefully we’ve got a few good chances.
“I think things are going to be totally different and probably over the next few years. But you know what Willie (Mullins) is like – he turns up with a huge team and they’re all ready to fire for Cheltenham.”
Nicholls, who has 50 Festival winners to his name, is pleased with his squad for next month’s event, spearheaded by Grade One winning novice hurdler No Drama This End, who galloped along with stablemates Tutti Quanti, Sans Bruit and Il Ridoto at Kempton Park on Tuesday morning.
No Drama This End
“That was brilliant today, just what we wanted. He went to Lambourn last week and did a gallop with Regent’s Stroll, who didn’t need to come today, but No Drama This End takes plenty of work.
“You can see he’s a big, strong, thick-set horse. It did cross my mind to go to Ascot two weeks ago, because it was a National Hunt Novices’ hurdle, and he’d only got one penalty, but if something had gone wrong, it’s not worth it.
“So we just elected to stick to the plan and go and have a nice gallop last week, and then come here today. He had three quick runs. He actually did quite well really to do Cheltenham and then it was an afterthought to go for the Sandown race, but he had to really, and then again quickly around at Newbury. So, he got over those quickly and then had a nice break. We’ve got stuck into him again now, so he’s nice and fit and fresh.
“I did actually say earlier this season, if one day we got a horse that might compare with Denman, it’s him. And I can only dream that, but I wasn’t comparing him at that particular time. But he’s the same sort of model – doesn’t show masses at home, workmanlike and big and strong. And you probably wouldn’t know how good he is until he runs.
“He’s done the talking on the track. As I said earlier, he’s won two Grade Twos and a Grade One. You couldn’t ask for more. Where his ceiling of ability is, you’d never know at home. It’s what he does on the track and he’ll progress over the next few years.
Tutti Quanti
“I think we will supplement for the Champion Hurdle. I’ve got to talk to Colom (Donlan, owner) on that. We’ve got the luxury that we can wait until six days beforehand and see what’s happening.
“I’d say the first day, the ground’s never going to be any faster than good to soft. And if it’s like that, I’d say we’ve got nothing to lose. He’s definitely improving rapidly.
“He’s now rated 151 and if it is an open race, why not give it a go? It’d be his last run before he goes chasing, so I’m not convinced about carrying 12 stone again in the County Hurdle or something like that. And I can just see he’s a massive improver so we’ll probably give it a go – but that’s not set in stone yet. But I suspect we will.
“He definitely improved from when he won the Gerry Fielden to the next day. I didn’t expect him to win like that the other day at Newbury and he’s improved since then. And this morning’s Gallop – he’d never worked like that last year. He was backward and mentally backward, but he’s just the finished article now.
“Sometimes we get young horses like that to improve and you don’t know where their ceiling could be. So it wouldn’t surprise me if he ran very well.”
Regent’s Stroll
“He very nearly won a Grade One last year. I didn’t want to run him again after Cheltenham (on New Year’s Day). He’d had three quick runs. I wanted to get some experience into him and see how he’d cope with Cheltenham. There were a lot of people there that day.
“He’s getting mentally much better and worked great last week. 145 is quite a nice mark for him.”
Quebecois
“Quebecois wouldn’t be without a chance if it wasn’t too soft. He wouldn’t want three miles of it soft. The Ultima has always been Max’s (McNeill, owner) aim and that’s why we ran him last week.
“I only had the option of running him over two miles and it was to get the fourth run to be able to be qualified. He wouldn’t want soft ground over a trip.
“He’s got the Plate, which he’s in, and he’s also in the Jack Richards. Golden Son could in the Hunter Chase for Olive (his daughter) to ride and if Shearer ran in that race, Gina Andrews might ride him.”