Weekend Runners / Paul Nicholls / 05 February 2011 / 3

Paul sends two across the Irish Sea for Hennessy Gold Cup day at Leopardstown but they both hold solid chances. Read Paul's thoughts on both Indian Daudaie and Pride Of Dulcote here

13:05
Indian Daudaie: Joined us after finishing second in a Grade 1 at Auteuil in November - though he was beaten 15 lengths by Tanais Du Chenet - so we haven't had him that long. But he has done nothing but please us since he has been here, improving physically, and I was delighted with his third at Cheltenham last week. I thought he would need last week's outing, so to finish under 5 lengths third to Local Hero, giving it 3lb, was a great first effort for us and a run that put him up there with the best of my juveniles. Harry thought they were always going a little too quickly for him on the ground at Cheltenham, so the softer conditions here will definitely suit. I was thinking of the Victor Ludorum at Haydock but the track could be a little tight for him there, so we decided to bite the bullet and go for this Grade 1 race. Of course, it could come too soon for him but it's 70,000 euro to the winner and conditions should suit him. And the Irish juveniles haven't set the pulse racing so far this season, which was underlined by the fact that when we looked at the race on Tuesday, Indian Daudaie was 9lb clear on Timeform ratings on his Cheltenham run. So we decided to take our chance in Grade 1 company, and give Pride Of Dulcote some travelling company. AP rides and, without giving too much away, we wouldn't be afraid to make much more use of him at Leopardstown. Let's hope he gives a good account of himself for the Timeform Betfair Racing Club.

15:45
Pride Of Dulcote: Finished ½ length second to Weapons Amnesty (who went on to win the Sun Alliance last year) in the Albert Bartlett at the 2009 Festival and made a good chasing debut when beating Any Currency by 6 lengths at Worcester in October 2009, after which he unfortunately got a bit of a leg and missed the rest of the season. We always knew he was a top-class prospect and he confirmed that when beating Punchestowns on his return at Newbury. Granted, the runner-up didn't do much for the form at Cheltenham last week, but I personally don't take any notice of that. Pride Of Dulcote will come on enormously for his Newbury win - he had done a lot of steady work before that run but that was effectively his first real gallop - and he fully deserves to be regarded as a Gold Cup contender in a very open year. I don't know whether he deserves to be favourite against some established Grade 1 Irish performers such as Joncol, Cooldine and Money Trix on their own patch - though some of these are exposed and out of form, and this isn't the strongest Grade 1 I have ever seen - but he goes well for Nick and this race will tell us a lot more about him. I give China Rock, third to Kauto Star at Down Royal, a decent shout, too.

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(3)

1. lewi 38 | 06 February 2011

   any chance paul u could tell us how your cheltenham bound horses are thanks

2. paul | 06 February 2011

   the most important question for this stable is when is RUBY WALSH back ?
   ante post punters for nicholls horses at the festival will start worrying if he,s not back soon,imagine your fancy at the festival being ridden by mahon,schofield or skelton-exactly !
   The other big stables have geraghty,mcoy,russell,carbery,murphy !

3. lewi 38 | 09 February 2011

   have to agree with u on that paul but i did read on the sky text that he will def be back in time for cheltenham prob is how fit willo he be hes been out a long time now and its getting closer so if hes not back soon he wont be that fit surelly

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