"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" => "Paul Nicholls: The lowdown on my three Haydock runners : Weekend Runners : Paul Nicholls", "desc" => "A small delegation of talented horses make the trip north from Ditcheat to Haydock for the first day of the Betfair Chase meeting. Read the great man's opinion on all three here...", "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()) { ?>

Paul Nicholls: The lowdown on my three Haydock runners

View market

A small delegation of talented horses make the trip north from Ditcheat to Haydock for the first day of the Betfair Chase meeting. Read the great man's opinion on all three here

13:20, 2m Betfair Graduation Chase
Toubab
Didn't progress from his impressive Haydock win last season but he wasn't right after that. And although he was a beaten favourite on his chasing debut at Cheltenham, I was more than satisfied, especially as he ran too free and was in front a bit too early there when beaten ¾ length by Lancetto. It was a fair level of form to start off with and all my novices come for their first outing, so don't be surprised to see him improve a good deal on that here. This horse has plenty of class and would be suited by good ground and a flat track, as he showed when winning here last season. Only five runners but this is a very competitive and classy race, with Aintree winner Silk Drum and Nadiya De La Vega also in opposition. In fact, Doctor David looks very interesting on his first start for Lawney Hill, too, and Shadrack looked OK at Huntingdon as well! Hot, hot race.

13:55, 2m6f Novice Chase
Bold Addition
In truth, anything this horse does is a bonus, as he nearly had to be put down after slicing through a tendon at Hereford two seasons ago. But, my, has he fought back well, and secured a novice hurdle hat-trick on good ground in the spring. His comeback second at Cheltenham last month probably showed us that he had come to the end of the line over hurdles, and chasing was always going to be his long-term game anyway. He really is in good nick at the moment, has worked and schooled well in preparation for this, and 2m6f on good ground looks ideal. But again, this is a race short on numbers but high on quality, as Mr Moonshine looked very good at Carlisle and I think my fellow Betfair columnist Donald McCain thinks a fair bit of Tornado Bob.

14:30, 2m Novice Hurdle
Plenty Pocket
Owned by the Timeform Betfair Racing Club and Clive Smith, he came to us last season after showing a very decent level of form on the Flat in France. To say that I was underwhelmed by his performances was something of a understatement, as he finished tailed off at Ascot on his hurdling debut in January and then showed little in a charity race at Aintree in April where I thought his Flat race prowess would come to the fore. But we gave him a breathing operation in the summer and that seems to have done the trick to judge from his impressive Kempton comeback success, where he never came off the bridle to beat a horse of Nicky's who had shown some decent bumper form. The manner of the win was a very pleasant surprise and he has continued to please me at home. But against the likes of Molotof, this is a significant step up in class; let's hope he can improve as much from his first start after the breathing operation as Brampour did. Track, trip and ground should be ideal - we just need to find out whether he can mix it in this better grade.

"A very competitive weekend of racing once again, so winners will be hard to come by.

"But I like the chances of Indian Daudaie and Minella Stars as well as Robinson Collonges each way."

You've read Paul's thoughts, now find out who Betfair's Multiples Banker is...

https://promotions.betfair.com/nicholls-banker-129/

Paul Nicholls / 18 Nov 2011

Paul Nicholls: The lowdown on my three Haydock runners

Weekend Runners RSS / / 18 November 2011 / 1

" class="free_bet_btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">
Plenty Pocket pictured winning at Kempton in late October

Plenty Pocket pictured winning at Kempton in late October

"Bold Addition really is in good nick at the moment, has worked and schooled well in preparation for this, and 2m6f on good ground looks ideal. But again, this is a race short on numbers but high on quality."

A small delegation of talented horses make the trip north from Ditcheat to Haydock for the first day of the Betfair Chase meeting. Read the great man's opinion on all three here

13:20, 2m Betfair Graduation Chase
Toubab
Didn't progress from his impressive Haydock win last season but he wasn't right after that. And although he was a beaten favourite on his chasing debut at Cheltenham, I was more than satisfied, especially as he ran too free and was in front a bit too early there when beaten ¾ length by Lancetto. It was a fair level of form to start off with and all my novices come for their first outing, so don't be surprised to see him improve a good deal on that here. This horse has plenty of class and would be suited by good ground and a flat track, as he showed when winning here last season. Only five runners but this is a very competitive and classy race, with Aintree winner Silk Drum and Nadiya De La Vega also in opposition. In fact, Doctor David looks very interesting on his first start for Lawney Hill, too, and Shadrack looked OK at Huntingdon as well! Hot, hot race.

13:55, 2m6f Novice Chase
Bold Addition
In truth, anything this horse does is a bonus, as he nearly had to be put down after slicing through a tendon at Hereford two seasons ago. But, my, has he fought back well, and secured a novice hurdle hat-trick on good ground in the spring. His comeback second at Cheltenham last month probably showed us that he had come to the end of the line over hurdles, and chasing was always going to be his long-term game anyway. He really is in good nick at the moment, has worked and schooled well in preparation for this, and 2m6f on good ground looks ideal. But again, this is a race short on numbers but high on quality, as Mr Moonshine looked very good at Carlisle and I think my fellow Betfair columnist Donald McCain thinks a fair bit of Tornado Bob.

14:30, 2m Novice Hurdle
Plenty Pocket
Owned by the Timeform Betfair Racing Club and Clive Smith, he came to us last season after showing a very decent level of form on the Flat in France. To say that I was underwhelmed by his performances was something of a understatement, as he finished tailed off at Ascot on his hurdling debut in January and then showed little in a charity race at Aintree in April where I thought his Flat race prowess would come to the fore. But we gave him a breathing operation in the summer and that seems to have done the trick to judge from his impressive Kempton comeback success, where he never came off the bridle to beat a horse of Nicky's who had shown some decent bumper form. The manner of the win was a very pleasant surprise and he has continued to please me at home. But against the likes of Molotof, this is a significant step up in class; let's hope he can improve as much from his first start after the breathing operation as Brampour did. Track, trip and ground should be ideal - we just need to find out whether he can mix it in this better grade.

"A very competitive weekend of racing once again, so winners will be hard to come by.

"But I like the chances of Indian Daudaie and Minella Stars as well as Robinson Collonges each way."

You've read Paul's thoughts, now find out who Betfair's Multiples Banker is...

https://promotions.betfair.com/nicholls-banker-129/

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

(1)

  1. Declan Quinn | 18 November 2011

    Paul big fan.looking forward to march.what about the great kauto??