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Paul Nicholls: Cheltenham Open Meeting day one verdict

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It's the first day of the Open meeting and Paul sends five horses out - here are his exclusive thoughts on all those runners

13:45, 2m Handicap Chase
Crack Away Jack
Emma did a great job with him, landing a Fred Winter and finishing fourth in the Champion Hurdle. So he has certainly the raw talent if we can get him back on track, and he is certainly isn't harshly handicapped on 142 here judged on that level of hurdling form. And further positives are that he is very fit, he has been working well and hopefully a summer breathing operation has helped him, too. But it would be fair to say that he isn't a natural jumper of a fence and wouldn't be the bravest at his fences. And I've just got a feeling that 2m4f would suit him better in this ground.

14:20, 3m7f Cross Country Chase
Gullible Gordon
Ran a fair race first time up when fourth at Wincanton but showed us what he is; handicapped up to his best. So we decided to take the easy route and take on Garde Champetre in a Cross Country race at Cheltenham! He stays well and loves the ground and if he enjoys the experience (he finished ninth at the Festival), who knows?

14:55, 2m Novice Hurdle
Prospect Wells
Today's Betfair Banker!

He was a challenge in more ways than one when coming to me. He clearly had bundles of talent as his Flat exploits in France underlined - few, if any, horses have arrived at Ditcheat with such an impressive Flat CV - but he nearly died after being gelded when with Howard, who also had no end of problems getting him to jump, I'm told. And so did we. So despite putting him over 200 or so obstacles prior his debut at Chepstow, I was still unsure as to how he would take to them on the track. But I needn't have worried at all, as he ran out a very impressive winner, jumping cleverly as well as fluently, despite being hampered a couple of times. Clearly steps markedly in class here but I really liked what I saw at Chepstow and I hope he is the sort to progress and make his presence felt in this grade.

15:30, 2m5f Handicap Hurdle
Tigre D'Aron
Earlier in the week, I was quoted as saying that he has a "very workable rating" so I suppose the cat is out of the bag as to how I view this one's chances off a mark of 120! We knew all about this horse before he won on his debut for Howard at Wetherby as we tried to buy him after his second over hurdles in France (a race in which we bought the winner Tonic Mellysse). He disappointed on his last start over 2m4f in the soft at Carlisle but I would be inclined to ignore that run as he certainly works like a decent horse since arriving here. Hopefully stamina won't be an issue and Ryan takes 3lb off. I am expecting a very decent showing.

16:05, 2m4f Novice Chase
Dualla Lord
Unbeaten in four starts in English points, he looked a certain winner in a 3m novice hurdle at Chepstow last time (where he apparently traded at [1.02] in-running on Betfair, so at least someone would have felt worse than me at the time!) only to get tired and collared close home. A lot of my horses were needing the run at that point but at least it showed us the raw potential of this horse, who would have been all the better for the experience too, as some of his jumping in points was a touch novicey. The step down in trip will suit him as he has plenty of pace, though the opposition does look plenty hot enough with the likes of Cue Card and Grands Crus lining up. But you expect that at Cheltenham.


*

Paul notched up a 6791-1 Betfair SP seven-timer last weekend. Fancy his runners today in a Multiple? Add them to your bet slip now.


Get Cashback on Prospect Wells if he lets your Multiple down. Get up to £100 cashback with today's Multiples Banker, opt in now


Paul Nicholls / 11 Nov 2011

Paul Nicholls: Cheltenham Open Meeting day one verdict

Weekend Runners RSS / / 11 November 2011 / 1

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it's the first really big Cheltenham meeting of this National Hunt season

it's the first really big Cheltenham meeting of this National Hunt season

"I am expecting a very decent showing from Tigre D’Aron."

It's the first day of the Open meeting and Paul sends five horses out - here are his exclusive thoughts on all those runners

13:45, 2m Handicap Chase
Crack Away Jack
Emma did a great job with him, landing a Fred Winter and finishing fourth in the Champion Hurdle. So he has certainly the raw talent if we can get him back on track, and he is certainly isn't harshly handicapped on 142 here judged on that level of hurdling form. And further positives are that he is very fit, he has been working well and hopefully a summer breathing operation has helped him, too. But it would be fair to say that he isn't a natural jumper of a fence and wouldn't be the bravest at his fences. And I've just got a feeling that 2m4f would suit him better in this ground.

14:20, 3m7f Cross Country Chase
Gullible Gordon
Ran a fair race first time up when fourth at Wincanton but showed us what he is; handicapped up to his best. So we decided to take the easy route and take on Garde Champetre in a Cross Country race at Cheltenham! He stays well and loves the ground and if he enjoys the experience (he finished ninth at the Festival), who knows?

14:55, 2m Novice Hurdle
Prospect Wells
Today's Betfair Banker!

He was a challenge in more ways than one when coming to me. He clearly had bundles of talent as his Flat exploits in France underlined - few, if any, horses have arrived at Ditcheat with such an impressive Flat CV - but he nearly died after being gelded when with Howard, who also had no end of problems getting him to jump, I'm told. And so did we. So despite putting him over 200 or so obstacles prior his debut at Chepstow, I was still unsure as to how he would take to them on the track. But I needn't have worried at all, as he ran out a very impressive winner, jumping cleverly as well as fluently, despite being hampered a couple of times. Clearly steps markedly in class here but I really liked what I saw at Chepstow and I hope he is the sort to progress and make his presence felt in this grade.

15:30, 2m5f Handicap Hurdle
Tigre D'Aron
Earlier in the week, I was quoted as saying that he has a "very workable rating" so I suppose the cat is out of the bag as to how I view this one's chances off a mark of 120! We knew all about this horse before he won on his debut for Howard at Wetherby as we tried to buy him after his second over hurdles in France (a race in which we bought the winner Tonic Mellysse). He disappointed on his last start over 2m4f in the soft at Carlisle but I would be inclined to ignore that run as he certainly works like a decent horse since arriving here. Hopefully stamina won't be an issue and Ryan takes 3lb off. I am expecting a very decent showing.

16:05, 2m4f Novice Chase
Dualla Lord
Unbeaten in four starts in English points, he looked a certain winner in a 3m novice hurdle at Chepstow last time (where he apparently traded at [1.02] in-running on Betfair, so at least someone would have felt worse than me at the time!) only to get tired and collared close home. A lot of my horses were needing the run at that point but at least it showed us the raw potential of this horse, who would have been all the better for the experience too, as some of his jumping in points was a touch novicey. The step down in trip will suit him as he has plenty of pace, though the opposition does look plenty hot enough with the likes of Cue Card and Grands Crus lining up. But you expect that at Cheltenham.


*

Paul notched up a 6791-1 Betfair SP seven-timer last weekend. Fancy his runners today in a Multiple? Add them to your bet slip now.


Get Cashback on Prospect Wells if he lets your Multiple down. Get up to £100 cashback with today's Multiples Banker, opt in now


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(1)

  1. paul | 11 November 2011

    having read your article before racing i thought crack away jack was your best bet,goes well fresh,likes a quicker surface and has a good turn of foot-as well as having had a breathing op and walsh onboard fantastic bet !
    tigre d'aron looked to have stamina issues last time so over this trip at a stiff course like chelt i thought it was beatable ! lets see later today.