Weekend Runners / Paul Nicholls / 08 April 2011 / 1

Master Minded returns to the track with something to prove after Champion Chase disappointment while exciting talent Mon Parrain is also on show after a dominating win at Sandown last month. Read about that pair and all Paul's other runners here.

Grade 2 Novices' Hurdle, 14:00
Brampour: Was a fairly useful middle distance performer on the Flat and was pleasing us prior to his debut at Kempton, though perhaps not as much as he had impressed the bookmakers who somehow made him favourite for the Triumph before that run. In truth, he disappointed us slightly when only finishing third there but improved to win a decent race at Taunton next time. He was working as well as any of my Triumph horses before Cheltenham and I don't think he ran at all a bad race in finishing ninth, beaten 11 lengths by Zarkandar, weakening after the last. I see Timeform say that "may be as good as he is" but that seems a touch premature after just three hurdle starts and I suspect this track will suit him better than Cheltenham, too.

Empire Levant: I would very much liked to have run him off a mark of 128 in the Saturday handicap but it was very doubtful that he would have got in there, so he takes his chance. And I expect him to run well. But for a nose defeat, he would have been unbeaten in four Flat starts in the French provinces and I have always liked him since he came to us. He built upon a promising Newbury debut when beating subsequent winner Palawi at Doncaster and I thought he ran a smashing race when second at Kempton last time, after which we put him away with Aintree in mind. He has plenty to find with some of these on form, but comes here fresh and in great form and hopefully he will put up a career-best here.

Polisky: Had my smart juvenile Cedre Bleu 3 lengths away in third when ½ length runner-up in a listed race at Auteuil on his racecourse debut and was working really well prior to his debut for me at Ascot in February. Obviously he faced a very stiff task against a class horse in Sprinter Sacre, despite being in receipt of 14lb, and was by no means disgraced in finishing a 7 length second to the 3-10 favourite. He is very much next year's horse, but has no little potential and is obviously unexposed. And he did a great piece of work on Wednesday morning.


Grade 2 Novices' Chase, 14:30
Robinson Collonges: Was a bitter disappointment to me at Cheltenham as I really fancied him to run a big race. But he missed the first three fences and it was game over; he never got into the race thereafter. If you look at his record this season, you would have to conclude that he is a chancy jumper. But he fences very, very well in the main and if he gets it right then he could trouble some higher-rated horses here. You only have to look at his run in the Rising Stars at Wincanton in November, where he would have given Wishfull Thinking weight and a beating but for coming down 3 out, to show how good he potentially is. But he has to start repaying my faith in him, and fulfil that potential.


Melling Chase, 15:05
Master Minded: I imagine many punters will be looking to take on Master Minded on after his performance in the Champion Chase last time - I see he is trading at [6.2] in the early Betfair betting - but if they do they are opposing one of the best horses we have seen in recent decades, so good luck to them! He was certainly off the bridle and up against it when making an horrendous blunder 2 out at Cheltenham but, although some may disagree, I still think he may have finished third but for that mistake.
Leading up to that race he had won three from three this season, two in Grade 1 company, and had looked back to his old self after a summer breathing operation. His last visit to Aintree saw him beaten a long way in this race in 2008, but a second-last blunder knocked the stuffing out of him there, so I wouldn't read too much into that. He may be best fresh, but he has given me no indication at home that he doesn't come here in good form, so let us see how he gets on against Albertas Run and Somersby. If he runs to his best, then they have a job on their hands, and at this stage of his career I think this trip, and further, will suit him much better.


Topham, 15:40
Mon Parrain: Has probably been the most talked-about horse outside of Cheltenham ever since he did a demolition job on a bunch of moderate handicappers at Sandown last month - we did an update on him in these columns on Tuesday - jumping brilliantly en route to a 22 length win off a mark of 133. Not bad for a horse that I thought was four weeks off peak fitness! He has continued to impress me at home - he was awesome over our National-style fences at home - but talk of him being a Grade 1 performer are a touch premature at this stage, so we feel this is the right race for him at this stage of his career.
No doubt many people think we should have thrown our hat into the Grade 1 ring - apparently the Timeform boys think the Punchestown Gold Cup could fit the bill - but we will take our chances off 149 here, thanks very much. He is a very exciting horse and, given luck in-running, I expect him to give a very good account of himself.

Free World: Only gets 3lb from Mon Parrain and their two profiles couldn't be any different, though he did run OK when second to Riverside Theatre over 2m5f at Kempton in November, where Tatenen was in third. But he hasn't run up to that form - or his good 2m1f handicap form of last season - on his last two starts, so the jury is out on him. A revised mark of 146 gives him a chance if these fences wake him up, but you clearly cannot be confident of that.

I fancied Fistral Beach very strongly on his reappearance, as a summer breathing operation appeared to have transformed him at home. And he duly did the business at Wincanton. But for the second season running he disappointed when favourite for the Racing Post Chase at Kempton. But to be fair to the horse, he wouldn't have stayed that rain-softened 3m there in an aeroplane, so don't judge him too harshly. The handicapper has dropped him 2lb since Kempton, and I wouldn't write him off just yet. But Mon Parrain is clearly our number one hope in the race.


Grade 1 Novices' Hurdle, 16:15
Indian Daudaie: This one needs to improve to trouble some of these, but I have a sneaking feeling that he will run a big race. He had some smart form in France before he was bought by the Timeform Betfair Racing Club and Clive Smith partnership, and he has continued in the same vein with three good performances for us. He ran well over the minimum trip at Cheltenham and in Grade 1 company in Ireland on his first two starts, but then showed improved form when fourth in the boys race at the Festival over 2m5f. The further step up in trip will suit him and I can see Ruby giving this horse one of his "creep rides", and running a big race. But he does need to improve.



Handicap Hurdle, 16:50
Pistolet Noir: This one is a talented but frustrating character. He ran his best race for me when a good third in the 2m4f handicap hurdle at this meeting last year but failed to reproduce that form in two starts in the autumn, so we gave him a breathing operation. He then ran with a lot more promise when fourth over 2m1f at Taunton, so we let him take his chance in the Coral Cup. He couldn't get competitive there, plugging on for ninth, so we are stepping him up in trip and hoping that enables him to recapture his best. I think it will and believe he has got a good each-way chance at a big price.


Find Paul's three best chances here

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1. yorrick | 13 April 2011

   I think I may have put this in the wrong place initially so I try again.
   It's been bugging me: why did Mon Parrain empty out so quickly? Didn't Stay? Too much weight? Needs further? "Bounce"? Attitude? Come on Mr Nicholls, help me out here.

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