Paul Nicholls: My Saturday runners at Chepstow and Aintree

A busy Saturday for Paul, with plenty of runners at Chepstow and Aintree. He talks us through their chances...

12:25, Chepstow
Ruben Cotter
Is a half-brother to a couple of winners and improved upon his point debut to win at Dungarvan in February, form that worked out well. Was sent off favourite for his hurdling debut at Exeter last month and I have to admit that I was little bit disappointed with his showing there. But he would have needed the experience and he may have been up against some fair sorts anyway, so all is certainly not lost. The one thing that really pleased me about the performance was the way he travelled before getting a bit tired, and that gave me plenty to work on. This longer trip will suit, as will the ground. Should go well but looks quite a hot race.

13.00, Chepstow
The Gossmore Yank
Needed his first back after a tendon injury pretty badly at Chepstow last month, so delighted me in finishing runner-up in a 3m handicap hurdle, briefly looking like finishing in midfield before sticking on really well. Will be far sharper here and has schooled and worked well in preparation for this. 3m on soft ground round will be right up his street. Restless Harry clearly looks like he will take plenty of beating though.

13.30, Chepstow
Curtain Razer
Is an Old Vic half-brother to four winners, notably 2008 Irish Grand National winner Hear The Echo. Has shown plenty of promise himself already, winning two from two points for Richard Barber, winning at Ottery St Mary and Buckfastleigh, and then running a cracker when second to Emma Lavelle's Gullinbursti hurdling debut at Exeter, with the fair Oscar Davy 9 lengths away in third. The winner franked the form when winning on Wednesday and Curtain Razer is a nice prospect. Knock A Hand, a winner here last month, looks the one to beat.

14:05, Chepstow
Aldertune
Nothing much has changed with my assessment of Aldertune; he is what he is. His form figures may suggest he is consistent and reliable and he is to some extent, winning at Chepstow and putting in a string of placed efforts throughout his career. But he is a thinker on occasions and cheekpieces clearly didn't work at Worcester on his penultimate start, so we left them, and the blinkers, off in the Southern National at Fontwell last month and to be fair he ran a cracker, beaten just over five lengths in fourth. That was his first start in a handicap chase and he races off the same mark here, so fingers crossed. He has won over course and distance, and in the soft, too. We put the blinkers back on here to keep him on his toes!

14:40, Chepstow
Carlicue
Had a big reputation when coming over from Ireland after winning his only point by 20 lengths but took a while to settle in. However, showed his potential when winning a maiden hurdle over 2m6f in the soft at Ffos Las. Ran very badly when we pitched him into handicap company off a mark of 126 at Wincanton in February but that was just too bad to be true (he was probably just too weak last season to do himself full justice). Is all over a chaser and fences are imminent, but we start him off in this 0-125 hurdle as the handicapper has dropped him 6lb, so he gets in. Will love the ground and I would like to think that he will prove himself much better than a 120-rated horse in the future. Should go well.

15:15, Chepstow
Flaming Gorge
Had a breathing operation after coming to us from Nick Williams and ran a good race first time up when second at Plumpton. We turned him out again quickly but unfortunately he got brought down at the first at Exeter six days later. The handicapper clearly has a heart as he has only raised us 6lb for his Plumpton second. Not! The more rain that falls the better for him, as he won in the heavy at Chepstow over hurdles last year and his best chase form is in the soft.

14:10, Aintree
Niche Market
Hasn't won since taking the 2009 Irish Grand National but he certainly lost none of his sparkle, as he showed when fifth in the Hennessy and here in the big one last season. Obviously, the Grand National is his target again and I was happy enough with his comeback run at Ascot in October, where he finished ninth after never threatening on ground that would have been a bit too quick for him. That blew the cobwebs away and he has been dropped 3lb for that, which is welcomed, and you would have to think this race is ideal for him (indeed, it was always my intention to run him here second time out). He only weakened two from home in the National last season and I would hope for a bold showing here. But we are working from Aintree in April backwards, so he still isn't at his peak here.

15:20, Aintree
Frankie Figg
Came to me from Howard Johnson and he is certainly an exciting horse to watch, bowling along in front in his races, jumping for fun, and those tactics have allowed him to win twice here, beating Nikola (who we also gave 3lb and won here in October) by five lengths in this race last season. I said before his debut for me at Sandown last month that he was "a right old stressball at home", so we tried him in earplugs at home, it seemed to settle him, and he ran him in them at Sandown. He will have clearly disappointed many punters there after being backed into 11/4 favouritism, and it clearly wasn't great as he was beaten by 47 lengths after racing prominently as per usual. But that was the first time he had run on a right-handed track, so that could be an excuse. But he seems to come alive here, as many horses do, and this race has always been our target, anyway. Let's hope the place revitalises him and he will be able to hear the roar of the crowd again if they do, as the earplugs have been left at Ditcheat. Brian Hughes, who rode him to victory in this race last year, is back on board.

Find out my best chances this weekend

Paul Nicholls / 3 Dec 2011