Nicholls' Weekend Runners: The Timeform Review

Whilst the Scottish National will have to wait for another season, resergent hurdler Sanctuaire provided the fireworks on what proved to be a successful foray north for champion trainer Paul Nicholls...

Prior to Saturday's Scottish Champion Hurdle, Nicholls had reported in his Betfair blog that Sanctuaire, winner of the Fred Winter juvenile handicap hurdle at Cheltenham last year, had had a breathing operation since his last run, and it appears to do have done the trick.

Sanctuaire travelled well off a solid pace before readily brushing aside Bygones In Brid, recording a career-best in the process. In the same column, the trainer had stated that, ideally, he'd have wanted a further two weeks to prepare the horse as he hadn't long been back in full work following his operation, which suggests there should be even more to come. Thought of as a Champion Hurdle contender after his successful juvenile campaign, this performance may well have persuaded the trainer to now put Sanctuaire's novice chasing career on hold and, with a race at Sandown on Saturday mentioned as his next port of call, he once again looks an exciting prospect with his problems seemingly behind him.

In the Scottish National, it was Neptune Collonges who fared best of the Nicholls pair in sixth, though never able to land a blow under his big weight. Having missed last season with a leg injury, connections would have undoubtedly been buoyed by his return to form when producing a high-class performance to take the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January, but, with this effort, and his Gold Cup eighth failing to come close to that level, it's possible that being allowed his own way in front that day has flattered him somewhat and it remains to be seen whether he'll be able to match such a performance again, unless finding another small field he can potentially dominate.

The final Nicholls runner this weekend was The Minack, who had missed the Cheltenham Festival for a crack at the Scottish National, but failed to produce his best, pulled up when the leading group began to quicken. Whilst Timeform ratings had suggested he needed to improve to figure, he should have at least been competitive and, therefore, it's possible that the way the race was run (suited those racing handily) and firmer ground conditions than he's used to were contributing factors to a disappointing performance. Whilst some may now have reservations over him reaching the heights that once looked likely, he has had excuses in his last two races and it's far too soon to be writing him off.

Timeform / 18 Apr 2011