Paul Nicholls: Zarkandar will run at Newbury next Friday

Latest News / Paul Nicholls / 12 February 2012 / 1 Comments

Zarkandar will be in action at Newbury on February 17

"It's especially pleasing to see that the Betfair Hurdle retains its original prize money of £152,500 and will still be run as Europe's richest handicap hurdle, despite the race being run on a Friday."

Like everybody else, Paul is disappointed that Betfair's Super Saturday at Newbury has been postponed. But he intends to take all his original runners to the re-scheduled meeting next Friday...

Losing Newbury tomorrow was a big blow - but at least it has been softened by the news that the whole meeting has been transferred to next Friday, live on Channel 4.

So fair play to all concerned in making this happen.

And it is especially pleasing to see that the Betfair Hurdle retains its original prize money of £152,500 and will still be run as Europe's richest handicap hurdle, despite the race being run on a Friday.

Last year it was run for a fraction of that, with the winner only getting just over £34,000.

As long as they are all fit and well, then all the horses I was going to run at Newbury tomorrow will turn out next Friday - and that includes Zarkandar.

I would not be overly-concerned if a lot of my horses had to go straight to Cheltenham - I can get them fresh, fit and well at home - but it is a different story for horses that haven't yet run this season. So Zarkandar will run.

This weather is a pain and, while it clearly isn't ideal, none of my horses have missed any work.

But someone asked me the other day why don't English trainers travel more to Ireland when our meetings are being frozen off.

Well, firstly, cost is an issue.

Obviously that is not a concern when you are talking about your better horses in the big races. But it is when you factor in that you don't want these Cheltenham possibles travelling to Ireland so close to the Festival, as some travel badly, and it can take others a while to get over it. We saw that when we took Celestial Halo over for the Irish Champion Hurdle two years ago.

I was actually toying with the idea of sending The Minack for the Hennessy but decided we would go to Ascot with him next week, on a course where he won so well last time.

So while Ireland is a short term option, it doesn't necessarily make the most sense in the long term picture.

Comments (1)

1. frederick w worth | 16 February 2012

   looking forward to newbury, Zarkandar to win, but best each way is empire lavent.
   any news on Master Minded. I lay bets with paddypower, and have layed two big bets on Master Minded back in December last year 2011.
   fred worth
   3 walnut drive
   somerton
   TA11 6LL
   somerset