Paul Nicholls: My Saturday runners at Wincanton and Haydock

Weekend Runners / Paul Nicholls / 18 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

How will Neptune Collonges (above) handle the Haydock ground?

"Celestial Halo is not only top class but he is a battler too. He has Binocular to beat here but we will give him a race."

With big names in action on Saturday, Paul discusses his runners' chances at Wincanton and Haydock...

12:55 Wincanton

The Pretender

Had winning form in French bumpers in the provinces, but has been well beaten on both starts for me. However, he ran with more promise than the beaten distance of 25 lengths would suggest over 2m4f at Ascot last month and the step back down to the minimum trip may also be more to his liking.

14:00 Wincanton

Rolling Aces

Winning Irish pointer who opened his account for us in a novice hurdle over course and distance in November, only to be beaten at odds-on when attempting to follow up under a penalty at Taunton next time. I was obviously disappointed at the time but he has pleased me at home since. A mark of 128 is fair for what he has shown to date.

Indian Daudaie

Is owned by the Timeform Betfair Racing Club and Clive Smith, and let's just say that this season has not gone to plan. He did well for them without winning last season but I thought he had strengthened up and improved over the summer and was a well-handicapped horse going into Haydock first time out. But he disappointed badly there, and again here last time, though a chasing debut fourth in between was not a bad effort. He is slowly coming down the handicap but not fast enough judged on his efforts this season; we try him in blinkers here to see if they can galvanise him.

14:35 Wincanton

Frankie Figg

Aintree specialist and so far this season he hasn't shown anywhere near the form he did when winning the Grand Sefton by five lengths last term. But the upside is that he has now dropped back to that winning mark, so he certainly isn't badly handicapped. The step back up in trip will suit him and hopefully he will show more dash today, though ideally a left-handed track would suit him better. I have a feeling he will run a better race today.

15:10 Wincanton

Flaming Gorge

Was set to run at the abandoned Exeter meeting last Sunday. Made a promising enough debut for us when a neck second at Plumpton in November, but was brought down at the first next time and then ran a stinker in bottomless ground at Chepstow. But, as everyone knows, I'm more than willing to forgive any horse a poor run at the latter track. I have freshened him up and he is on a fair mark if returning to the Plumpton form.

15:45 Wincanton

Celestial Halo

Was just chinned in this race last season, being beaten a nose by Mille Chief, but loves it around here and has actually won four races from six starts since that narrow defeat. One of those victories came in the Elite Hurdle here in November, and many thought it was a fortunate win, as Grandoeut looked to be travelling far better than him when falling. And he was. However, this horse is not only top class but he is a battler too, as he showed once again when beating Desert Cry at Haydock last time, so who knows what he would have pulled out in the closing stages? Not a horse to underestimate in any company, and not many win handicaps off a mark as 160, as he did at Newbury previously. Everyone assumes he is an old-timer having won a Triumph and finished second in the Champion Hurdle, but he is only eight-year-old. Clearly, has Binocular to beat here, but we will give him a race.

16:50 Wincanton

Grandioso

Showed fair bumper form when winning on his debut at Musselburgh before finding the step up in class beyond him at Aintree next time, though he ran a fair race in defeat. Made his debut for me when a distant third at Chepstow in October but things didn't fall right for him that day and he is better than he showed there.

14:10 Haydock

Ruben Cotter

Is a horse I like and would expect him to progress with his racing like many from the Irish pointing field, where he won a maiden last February. Was slightly disappointing on his hurdling debut for me at Exeter but performed a lot better when runner-up to Big Occasion at Chepstow in December. Probably won't show his true worth until he goes chasing but is not a horse to under-estimate, even though he would have a fair bit to find on form with some of these.

15:20 Haydock

Neptune Collonges

Harry takes a valuable 7lb off and let's hope that Neptune Collonges can advertise his Grand National claims in this trial race. I have always thought of this horse as the ideal type for Aintree, and he will get his chance to prove as much provides he runs to expectations here. To my mind, he is still a touch high in the handicap but I suppose we can't complain too much as he has come down 9lb in the weights since the Hennessy and has run two sound races in defeat since, albeit not getting within eight-and-a-half lengths of the winner on either occasion. Although he has form in the book on soft ground, I think he's better on good ground these days so I hope this doesn't turn into too much of a mudbath.

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We visited Ditcheat last week to video Paul's Ascot runners on the gallops. Watch them in action now