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Paul Nicholls' Weekend Runners: The Timeform review

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There was just a short head between a successful weekend for Paul Nicholls and what he would surely have considered a pretty disastrous one.

In holding off the determined charge of Somersby, Master Minded maintained his unbeaten record for the season, claimed his second Victor Chandler and upheld his position at the head of the Champion Chase betting. Tony McCoy blamed himself for coming so close to defeat, taking the view he'd pressed on too soon in a race that had been run at a strong pace, and there might well be something in that.

All things considered, Master Minded heads to Cheltenham with marginally the best form, and even if stablemate Woolcombe Folly and reigning champ Big Zeb will be serious opponents, it may well be the case that it's Somersby who proves the most daunting of the lot. Henrietta Knight's gelding has long since looked a top-class performer in the making and Saturday's fine effort could well serve as his coming of age. He's well suited by the demands of Cheltenham and is going to warrant loads of respect wherever he goes at Cheltenham, be it the Champion Chase ([13.0]) or the Ryanair ([11.0]).

Tchico Polos failed to cut the ice with his sights raised, blundering the first and always on the back foot thereafter. He's consistent on the whole and can be expected to bounce back even if finding further success hard to come by, caught between two stools when it comes to handicaps and these sort of races.

Plenty Pocket also sported the colours of Clive Smith when making his much-anticipated British debut in the juvenile hurdle earlier on the card. Unfortunately it proved a case of much cry and little wool as he failed to shine, pulling too hard and not especially fluent, done with a long way out. He endured a breathing problem and is clearly going to need plenty of work if he's to show more like his useful Flat form any time soon.

There wasn't much to take from the efforts of either of the Nicholls-trained runners in the Holloway's Hurdle, with Advisor in particular increasingly looking one to be wary of. Blinkers were considered necessary, but he ran a sour race anyway and his heart plainly isn't it. It was possible to construct a case to suggest Sire Collonges could be a long way ahead of a mark of 128, and that's something he may yet prove in time, simply not streetwise enough on his British debut and just second start of all up against what was after all a competitive and experienced field.

Tatenen lost his way for Paul Nicholls last season, but Richard Rowe has brought him back to a peak this term, as evidenced by his strong-travelling and bold-jumping display in the handicap chase which followed. It was sixteen lengths back to I'm A Legend and Breedsbreeze, the latter actually running a good race given he was soon placed on the back foot with some poor jumping in the early parts, adrift in last before working his way through and still with running in him at the end. It's worth emphasising that he's well-treated judged on his excellent reappearance effort and, a fine jumper overall, can't be ignored for valuable handicaps upcoming, with the Racing Post Chase at Kempton sure to be high on the list.

It was a fascinating novice hurdle which wrapped up proceedings at Ascot, and Poungach looked a smart prospect in beating No Secrets by eight lengths. Clearly all the more clued up than on his hurdling debut back in November, he travelled with much more fluency and powered clear after leading at the second last, with loads left in the tank come the finish. Poungach is quoted at 25/1 for the Baring Bingham and even if the yard does have a couple of others shorter in the betting - Rock On Ruby and Al Ferof - it's worth noting that Poungach has now surpassed them both ratings-wise.

With the meeting at Haydock falling by the wayside, the only other National Hunt action on offer came at Wincanton. Bold Addition was too keen for his own good in the opening big-field handicap, going strongly close up for the most part but having nothing left when it counted as his earlier exuberance told.

If seeing Tatenen bounce back wasn't enough, another ex-Ditcheat inmate Cornish Sett denied Promising Ansham in the staying handicap. It remains the case that the latter has handicaps in him, especially when the emphasis is on stamina, ahead of his mark as it is and still improving. However, it's now twice this season that he's seemed to be outbattled, so perhaps isn't one to be 100% confident about when it comes down to a fight.

Another who remains with some potential when it comes to handicaps - this time as a hurdler - is That'll Do. His novice form suggests he's well treated and even if finishing back in the pack behind Sparrow Hills, the experience of a big-field event could well help with his overall development, whilst he may well prove sharper for this first outing in two months.

It's now twice from as many starts in this country that Symphonick's jumping has cost him dear, struggling to hold third when crashing out at the third last in the novice chasse won by Forget It. It looked as if he was being found wanting for stamina at the time having turned in on the bridle and, if he can cut out the errors, he's likely to prove better off back around two miles for the time being.

It's rare that a meeting at Wincanton goes by without a Nicholls-trained winner, but that was the case on Saturday after Ramses de Marcigny made a reasonably encouraging start to his career over hurdles but could finish no better than third. He'll progress, though, especially when longer trips come onto the agenda, and it shouldn't be too long before he picks up a similar race. There's clear room for improvement in his jumping, too.

Harry Bowles / 24 Jan 2011

Paul Nicholls' Weekend Runners: The Timeform review

Weekend Runners RSS / / 24 January 2011 / 5

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Tatenen was one of two 'old boys' to come back and frustrate on Saturday

Tatenen was one of two 'old boys' to come back and frustrate on Saturday

"Poungach is quoted at 25/1 for the Baring Bingham and even if the yard does have a couple of others shorter in the betting - Rock On Ruby and Al Ferof - it's worth noting that Poungach has now surpassed them both ratings-wise."

There was just a short head between a successful weekend for Paul Nicholls and what he would surely have considered a pretty disastrous one.

In holding off the determined charge of Somersby, Master Minded maintained his unbeaten record for the season, claimed his second Victor Chandler and upheld his position at the head of the Champion Chase betting. Tony McCoy blamed himself for coming so close to defeat, taking the view he'd pressed on too soon in a race that had been run at a strong pace, and there might well be something in that.

All things considered, Master Minded heads to Cheltenham with marginally the best form, and even if stablemate Woolcombe Folly and reigning champ Big Zeb will be serious opponents, it may well be the case that it's Somersby who proves the most daunting of the lot. Henrietta Knight's gelding has long since looked a top-class performer in the making and Saturday's fine effort could well serve as his coming of age. He's well suited by the demands of Cheltenham and is going to warrant loads of respect wherever he goes at Cheltenham, be it the Champion Chase ([13.0]) or the Ryanair ([11.0]).

Tchico Polos failed to cut the ice with his sights raised, blundering the first and always on the back foot thereafter. He's consistent on the whole and can be expected to bounce back even if finding further success hard to come by, caught between two stools when it comes to handicaps and these sort of races.

Plenty Pocket also sported the colours of Clive Smith when making his much-anticipated British debut in the juvenile hurdle earlier on the card. Unfortunately it proved a case of much cry and little wool as he failed to shine, pulling too hard and not especially fluent, done with a long way out. He endured a breathing problem and is clearly going to need plenty of work if he's to show more like his useful Flat form any time soon.

There wasn't much to take from the efforts of either of the Nicholls-trained runners in the Holloway's Hurdle, with Advisor in particular increasingly looking one to be wary of. Blinkers were considered necessary, but he ran a sour race anyway and his heart plainly isn't it. It was possible to construct a case to suggest Sire Collonges could be a long way ahead of a mark of 128, and that's something he may yet prove in time, simply not streetwise enough on his British debut and just second start of all up against what was after all a competitive and experienced field.

Tatenen lost his way for Paul Nicholls last season, but Richard Rowe has brought him back to a peak this term, as evidenced by his strong-travelling and bold-jumping display in the handicap chase which followed. It was sixteen lengths back to I'm A Legend and Breedsbreeze, the latter actually running a good race given he was soon placed on the back foot with some poor jumping in the early parts, adrift in last before working his way through and still with running in him at the end. It's worth emphasising that he's well-treated judged on his excellent reappearance effort and, a fine jumper overall, can't be ignored for valuable handicaps upcoming, with the Racing Post Chase at Kempton sure to be high on the list.

It was a fascinating novice hurdle which wrapped up proceedings at Ascot, and Poungach looked a smart prospect in beating No Secrets by eight lengths. Clearly all the more clued up than on his hurdling debut back in November, he travelled with much more fluency and powered clear after leading at the second last, with loads left in the tank come the finish. Poungach is quoted at 25/1 for the Baring Bingham and even if the yard does have a couple of others shorter in the betting - Rock On Ruby and Al Ferof - it's worth noting that Poungach has now surpassed them both ratings-wise.

With the meeting at Haydock falling by the wayside, the only other National Hunt action on offer came at Wincanton. Bold Addition was too keen for his own good in the opening big-field handicap, going strongly close up for the most part but having nothing left when it counted as his earlier exuberance told.

If seeing Tatenen bounce back wasn't enough, another ex-Ditcheat inmate Cornish Sett denied Promising Ansham in the staying handicap. It remains the case that the latter has handicaps in him, especially when the emphasis is on stamina, ahead of his mark as it is and still improving. However, it's now twice this season that he's seemed to be outbattled, so perhaps isn't one to be 100% confident about when it comes down to a fight.

Another who remains with some potential when it comes to handicaps - this time as a hurdler - is That'll Do. His novice form suggests he's well treated and even if finishing back in the pack behind Sparrow Hills, the experience of a big-field event could well help with his overall development, whilst he may well prove sharper for this first outing in two months.

It's now twice from as many starts in this country that Symphonick's jumping has cost him dear, struggling to hold third when crashing out at the third last in the novice chasse won by Forget It. It looked as if he was being found wanting for stamina at the time having turned in on the bridle and, if he can cut out the errors, he's likely to prove better off back around two miles for the time being.

It's rare that a meeting at Wincanton goes by without a Nicholls-trained winner, but that was the case on Saturday after Ramses de Marcigny made a reasonably encouraging start to his career over hurdles but could finish no better than third. He'll progress, though, especially when longer trips come onto the agenda, and it shouldn't be too long before he picks up a similar race. There's clear room for improvement in his jumping, too.

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(5)

  1. paul | 24 January 2011

    i think the championship trainers title could be going to henderson this year.he has binocular,long run,and plenty of exiting novice hurdlers,and chasers.as for the festival mullins and noel meade havesome live dangers hurricane fly,pandorama-plus murphy has big zeb.so from what we have seen so far,nicholls has a fight on his hands !

  2. The Ken | 24 January 2011

    Big Bucks, Masterminded, Master Minded, Kauto, Denaman, Pride of Dulcote.

    All horses in the big prize money Cheltenham races. That's a strong hand in the big money races. Plus he always picks up a few winners in Aintree meeting.

    Hence he is still so short to win it.

  3. paul | 24 January 2011

    in my opinion,i would take big bucks on with mikael d'haguenet and mourad (mullins)-master minded with big zeb-kauto,denman,pride of dulcote with imperial commander,punchestown and diamond harry.
    this game is about opinions and the above are mine (alot better odds as well !)

  4. lewi 38 | 25 January 2011

    think some of the nichols horses might get beet but no way big bucks will be and i cant see mikael running in that race and he might not even run at the festival dont forget nichols arkle horse thats got a big chance also

  5. paul | 25 January 2011

    i would take nicholls on in the arkle with finians rainbow (henderson),and noble prince (paul nolan (ire))