Nicholls' Cheltenham Runners: The Timeform Preview

The Showcase meeting gets underway at Cheltenham on Friday and there are some very interesting Nicholls runners over the course of the two days.

Owing to the absence of Hanger Management, Bold Addition, who's three consecutive wins last season culminated with a course success in a similar race in April, is Timeform top-rated for the opening novice hurdle. Following three runs in handicaps, Bold Addition's career took off when returned to novice company towards the end of last season and, providing the run isn't needed too much on the back of a six-month absence, he ought to be very difficult to beat. Potential improver Sizing Symphony looks his chief threat.

With Red Harbour a defector, it's left to That'll Do to fly the flag for the yard in the second race, a five-runner novice chase. Although another ratings-topper, the winner of a similar event at Stratford in May faces a stern challenge in the shape of chase debutant For Non Stop, in contention when falling at the last in the Coral Cup over hurdles at the course in March, and Jolly Roger, winner of his first chase start at Ludlow recently.

From three initial entries, the trainer relies on Ange Guerrier in the fifth race on the card, a nine-runner maiden hurdle. Ange Guerrier, who showed useful form on the Flat in France in 2008 and 2009, hasn't converted that ability to hurdles in two outings so far, but remains with potential and it will be a surprise if he doesn't progress as he gains experience.

The strong travelling, but often weak finishing, Earth Planet has his fourth run of the season in the amateur riders' handicap chase. He looked as good as ever when second to Qhilimar at Newton Abbot last time but will need to raise his game again to trouble form principals Shadow Dancer and Nudge and Nurdle.

Rock of Deauville, who was also entered in the maiden event, will be the final runner on Friday when going in the conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle contest over two miles. Having travelled best prior to falling two out in a similar race for juveniles at Ascot in April when last seen, he looks a horse to follow this term and is another who comes out top on Timeform ratings.

On to Saturday at Cheltenham, where the yard currently have three engaged in the opening novice hurdle. Round Tom is possibly the pick on his pair of wins this season but both Deireadh Re and Harry The Viking are open to improvement.

The second race is a two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase in which Rebel du Maquis sits just 1 lb behind Billie Magern on Timeform ratings. Rebel du Maquis won three of his six chase starts last term and began this season in the same vein when readily landing a handicap at Stratford in May. Although disappointing in the Galway Plate on his only subsequent start, a return to more prominent tactics could well allow him to get back on the front foot.

Tonic Mellysse is due to make his seasonal reappearance just over half an hour later in the Class 2 hurdle race. Whilst he has 7 lb to find with Third Intention, Tonic Mellysse is open to improvement after just a handful of starts, only three of which have been for Nicholls, the latest a 10-length defeat of Mason Hindmarsh in a juvenile event at Ayr in April.

Gullible Gordon is entered in the fourth race, a handicap chase, and he looks to be in with a fair chance of victory. Gullible Gordon typically goes well first time out, victorious in a novice chase at Chepstow on his seasonal reappearance in 2009 and finishing fourth in a handicap at the same track on his return last year, and, having improved as the season developed last term, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him return in winning form.

Rippling Ring and Express Leader are both entered for the following handicap hurdle but a bigger chance of a winner could come in the novice chase, in which useful novice hurdlers Toubab and Rebel Rebellion are both currently engaged. Both would appear exciting prospects but the ex-French Toubab, winner of a listed novice event before finishing third in the Tolworth, will need to have brushed up on his jumping over the summer now tackling bigger obstacles.

Bumper winner Balding Banker is entered for the closing National Hunt Flat race, too.

Timeform / 13 Oct 2011