Paul Nicholls' Weekend Runners: The Timeform Review

With the likes of Big Buck's, Master Minded, Poquelin, Ghizao and Kauto Star staying at home, Festival Trials day at Cheltenham offered some of the yard's second-tier hopes the chance to put forward their case for glory at the track come March.

There was no disguising the popularity of the success of Neptune Collonges in the featured Cotswold Chase, the tough grey showing his last run to be all wrong with all his old sparkle back in evidence. Admittedly he was untroubled at the head of affairs, soon getting into a metronomic rhythm under McCoy, and after stretching clear he had enough in reserve to fend off the late thrust of Tidal Bay.

When it comes to the Gold Cup itself, Neptune Collonges' record of having finished in the frame twice previously suggests he's well worth his place in the contest. But there will be much more competition for the lead there, and it's difficult to see him being able to dominate matters as he did on Saturday. Looking further ahead, he's the sort who would take really well to the test the Grand National provides, bold and enthusiastic as he is, and for all he'll be up towards the top of the weights, that looks the race for him this back-end.

The Tother One also took his place in the line-up for the Cotswold, but was as underwhelming as Neptune Collonges was uplifting. He had cheekpieces in place this time, but they didn't prevent him from racing lazily, and given blinkers have already been tried it's difficult to see what connections can do to tap into the ability we know is there.

In the opening juvenile, Indian Daudaie made a far more encouraging start to life in Britain than had Plenty Pocket at Ascot a week earlier, and judging by his four-and-three-quarter length third to Local Hero, there's little doubt the Timeform Betfair Racing Club has a useful juvenile on their hands. A sturdy sort in appearance, he was obliged to give weight to both the winner and second-placed Third Intention and, having briefly been tapped for toe, he stuck to his task in the style of one who may well do better when faced with a greater emphasis on stamina.

A pair of high-end chasers who will have caused the team at Ditcheat more than their fair share of headaches down the years, Chapoturgeon and Noland, both contested the Grade 3 handicap over twenty-one furlongs and simply raised more questions than answers. Chapoturgeon ran a rather odd race, as he had over an insufficient trip at Exeter on his return, well below form, and it could be that something is troubling him at present. It was very difficult to know how much ability Noland retained judged by his second to Pepe Simo in a jumpers' bumper, but he looked a shadow of the high-class performer he was at his best here, running in snatches and already in trouble when blundering the tenth.

The Grade 2 Classic Novices' Hurdle looks set to have a significant bearing on the Neptune in six weeks' time. Bobs Worth was promoted to favouritism after winning the race and the Nicholls-trained Rock On Ruby will have two and a quarter lengths to find on that rival, something he may prove up to doing given he has still to reach his ceiling. He was rather caught out when the winner pressed on and then lost momentum at the last, the fact his rider lost his whip close home just a side-issue.

Organisateur ran poorly with his sights raised in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle, beaten well before stamina would have been an issue, whilst Gwanako also disappointed kept to hurdles. The race will have been notable for another reason for Messrs Nicholls and Stewart, though, as it represented the emergence of the stunning Grands Crus as a fully credible challenger to Big Buck's in the World Hurdle. Indeed, with a Timeform Rating of 172p, it's easy to see how little there is between the grey and the 174+ rated Big Buck's. Their meeting promises to be a mouthwatering one.

The yard's sole representative on Sunday was R de Rien Sivola in the two-mile handicap chase won by Grand Lahou at Hereford. After just three starts over fences she remains unexposed as a chaser and was shaping with encouragement on her first outing since early last season when falling at the eighth, yet to be asked for her effort at the time, enough to suggest she's worth another chance from a mark of 127.

Harry Bowles / 31 Jan 2011