"163", "name" => "Paul Nicholls", "category" => "Weekend Runners", "path" => "/var/www/vhosts/betting.betfair.com/httpdocs/horse-racing/paul-nicholls/", "url" => "https://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/paul-nicholls/", "title" => "Nicholls' Weekend Runners: The Timeform Review : Weekend Runners : Paul Nicholls", "desc" => "After what will have been a weekend full of mixed emotions for the Paul Nicholls yard, Timeform cast their eye over each of the team's weekend runners, including two winners at Chepstow on Saturday, and an across-the-card double on Sunday ....", "keywords" => "", "robots" => "index,follow" ); require_once '/var/www/vhosts/betting.betfair.com/httpdocs/horse-racing/paul-nicholls//MobileDetect.php'; $mob = new MobileDetect; if ($mob->isMobile()) { ?>

Nicholls' Weekend Runners: The Timeform Review

View market

After what will have been a weekend full of mixed emotions for the Paul Nicholls yard, Timeform cast their eye over each of the team's weekend runners, including two winners at Chepstow on Saturday, and an across-the-card double on Sunday .

Aintree hosted the lion's share of the Nicholls engagements at the weekend with a trio of representatives for the opening Grade 2 novice hurdle becoming a pair with the defection of Rebel Rebellion. Rock On Ruby finished closest of the remaining two in third, but failed to match the form of his second in the Baring Bingham at the Cheltenham Festival. However, as one who stays well, Rock On Ruby wouldn't have appreciated the steady early pace and was ultimately beaten by two speedier types in Spirit Son and Cue Card. Similar comments also apply to Sam Winner, who made the running on sufferance and couldn't quicken when headed. Both remain exciting prospects for novice chases next season, should the trainer turn their attentions that way.

Novice chases have very much been on the agenda for Ghizao this season, winning impressively in November and December before lining-up well-fancied for the Arkle at Cheltenham. That race didn't quite come off for him but he returned to his best in the Grade 1 Maghull, looking likely to give Finian's Rainbow a real scare but for making a costly mistake at the second last. As a generally sound jumper, it's unfortunate that single mistakes have now hindered him at both Aintree and Cheltenham, but with Punchestown a possible end-of-season target, he has the opportunity of compensation.

Celestial Halo took his chance in the Aintree Hurdle, making most before coming under pressure turning into the straight and fading to finish a remote last of eight. Although not the force of old, he had enjoyed a good time of it this year since reverting back to hurdles and it's to be assumed that he had extenuating circumstances on Saturday.

Another who can be forgiven his run is Take The Breeze, who, despite falling last time, was blameless for his incompletion in the listed handicap chase, as he was effectively brought down at the second.

On to the Grand National, where Niche Market fared best of the Nicholls quartet, jumping boldly toward the head of affairs before appearing to run out of steam in the closing stages, eventually finishing fifth. However, as was seen with the winner, conditions dictated that getting weary close home was to be expected and he did stick to his task gamely, suggesting that it wasn't necessarily a lack of stamina that proved his undoing. Without a win since the 2009 Irish National, it's likely he's just a little high in the handicap at present and, should next year's race see him on a more favourable mark, he would certainly be worthy of consideration. It's possible that What A Friend, who was already sending out distress signals when hitting the second Canal Turn and pulling up shortly after, wasn't over his Cheltenham exertions, whilst The Tother One's jumping wasn't up to scratch, blundering at the third before falling at Becher's. Ornais was towards the rear when falling fatally at the fourth.

In the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle, Tito Bustillo disappointed for the second time in succession, never appearing likely to get involved from his wide position before fading to finish well beaten. He certainly has a fair bit to prove now, but it is worth noting that he had a similar season last year, producing his best performance in September and October before disappointing in March and April, and it wouldn't be a great surprise if he started next season well after a break.

The yard also had two runners at Chepstow with Valentine Vic banishing the memory of his fall in a handicap hurdle on his penultimate start when making a winning chase debut. Jumping assuredly before grinding it out from the second last, he's certainly one to be positive about, but his overall profile does suggest he's a horse who struggles to take much racing. Sin Bin also made a winning start when taking the bumper despite showing definite signs of greenness. The fact that he took a long time to overhaul the long-time-leader Chance Encounter suggests he's one for further and he certainly looks the type to make a chaser in time.

As well as two Saturday winners, Paul also had a Sunday double courtesy of Pepe Simo at Ludlow and Just Amazing at Ascot.

Pepe Simo was simply making the most of an easy task in a three-runner novice and, despite winning, actually raised concerns about his future prospects, making mistakes despite being faced with easy fences at Ludlow. His ability will get him a long way, but he needs to improve his jumping. Just Amazing was another who was landing the odds, and he too had too much class for limited rivals as he took his record in hunters this season to three from four, though he did his best to throw the race away, idling markedly in the straight.

Earlier at Ascot, Aerial had been turned over at short odds in a novice chase, finding little after travelling strongly, suggesting a problem of sorts, possibly breathing related given he was sporting a tongue strap for the first time. Both of Nicholls' other runners on the card suffered even worse fates, Rock of Deauville going best and just taking the lead when falling two out in the Juvenile Handicap Hurdle and Blu Teen pulled up in the veterans race.

Paul's other Ludlow runner, Five Dream, could manage only third in the two-and-a-half mile handicap chase, while the yard's sole runner on the Wincanton card, Rivaliste, also filled the same position in a similar event over two miles, the latter squandering what looked a good opportunity with a typically clumsy round of jumping.


Timeform / 11 Apr 2011

Nicholls' Weekend Runners: The Timeform Review

Weekend Runners RSS / / 11 April 2011 / 1

" class="free_bet_btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">
Niche Market (left) produced a bold round of jumping before finishing fifth in the Grand National.

Niche Market (left) produced a bold round of jumping before finishing fifth in the Grand National.

"..it’s likely he’s (Niche Market) just a little high in the handicap at present and, should next year’s race see him on a more favourable mark, he would certainly be worthy of consideration."

After what will have been a weekend full of mixed emotions for the Paul Nicholls yard, Timeform cast their eye over each of the team's weekend runners, including two winners at Chepstow on Saturday, and an across-the-card double on Sunday .

Aintree hosted the lion's share of the Nicholls engagements at the weekend with a trio of representatives for the opening Grade 2 novice hurdle becoming a pair with the defection of Rebel Rebellion. Rock On Ruby finished closest of the remaining two in third, but failed to match the form of his second in the Baring Bingham at the Cheltenham Festival. However, as one who stays well, Rock On Ruby wouldn't have appreciated the steady early pace and was ultimately beaten by two speedier types in Spirit Son and Cue Card. Similar comments also apply to Sam Winner, who made the running on sufferance and couldn't quicken when headed. Both remain exciting prospects for novice chases next season, should the trainer turn their attentions that way.

Novice chases have very much been on the agenda for Ghizao this season, winning impressively in November and December before lining-up well-fancied for the Arkle at Cheltenham. That race didn't quite come off for him but he returned to his best in the Grade 1 Maghull, looking likely to give Finian's Rainbow a real scare but for making a costly mistake at the second last. As a generally sound jumper, it's unfortunate that single mistakes have now hindered him at both Aintree and Cheltenham, but with Punchestown a possible end-of-season target, he has the opportunity of compensation.

Celestial Halo took his chance in the Aintree Hurdle, making most before coming under pressure turning into the straight and fading to finish a remote last of eight. Although not the force of old, he had enjoyed a good time of it this year since reverting back to hurdles and it's to be assumed that he had extenuating circumstances on Saturday.

Another who can be forgiven his run is Take The Breeze, who, despite falling last time, was blameless for his incompletion in the listed handicap chase, as he was effectively brought down at the second.

On to the Grand National, where Niche Market fared best of the Nicholls quartet, jumping boldly toward the head of affairs before appearing to run out of steam in the closing stages, eventually finishing fifth. However, as was seen with the winner, conditions dictated that getting weary close home was to be expected and he did stick to his task gamely, suggesting that it wasn't necessarily a lack of stamina that proved his undoing. Without a win since the 2009 Irish National, it's likely he's just a little high in the handicap at present and, should next year's race see him on a more favourable mark, he would certainly be worthy of consideration. It's possible that What A Friend, who was already sending out distress signals when hitting the second Canal Turn and pulling up shortly after, wasn't over his Cheltenham exertions, whilst The Tother One's jumping wasn't up to scratch, blundering at the third before falling at Becher's. Ornais was towards the rear when falling fatally at the fourth.

In the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle, Tito Bustillo disappointed for the second time in succession, never appearing likely to get involved from his wide position before fading to finish well beaten. He certainly has a fair bit to prove now, but it is worth noting that he had a similar season last year, producing his best performance in September and October before disappointing in March and April, and it wouldn't be a great surprise if he started next season well after a break.

The yard also had two runners at Chepstow with Valentine Vic banishing the memory of his fall in a handicap hurdle on his penultimate start when making a winning chase debut. Jumping assuredly before grinding it out from the second last, he's certainly one to be positive about, but his overall profile does suggest he's a horse who struggles to take much racing. Sin Bin also made a winning start when taking the bumper despite showing definite signs of greenness. The fact that he took a long time to overhaul the long-time-leader Chance Encounter suggests he's one for further and he certainly looks the type to make a chaser in time.

As well as two Saturday winners, Paul also had a Sunday double courtesy of Pepe Simo at Ludlow and Just Amazing at Ascot.

Pepe Simo was simply making the most of an easy task in a three-runner novice and, despite winning, actually raised concerns about his future prospects, making mistakes despite being faced with easy fences at Ludlow. His ability will get him a long way, but he needs to improve his jumping. Just Amazing was another who was landing the odds, and he too had too much class for limited rivals as he took his record in hunters this season to three from four, though he did his best to throw the race away, idling markedly in the straight.

Earlier at Ascot, Aerial had been turned over at short odds in a novice chase, finding little after travelling strongly, suggesting a problem of sorts, possibly breathing related given he was sporting a tongue strap for the first time. Both of Nicholls' other runners on the card suffered even worse fates, Rock of Deauville going best and just taking the lead when falling two out in the Juvenile Handicap Hurdle and Blu Teen pulled up in the veterans race.

Paul's other Ludlow runner, Five Dream, could manage only third in the two-and-a-half mile handicap chase, while the yard's sole runner on the Wincanton card, Rivaliste, also filled the same position in a similar event over two miles, the latter squandering what looked a good opportunity with a typically clumsy round of jumping.


'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

(1)

  1. yorrick | 13 April 2011

    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.