"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' Weekend Runners: The Timeform Review : Weekend Runners : Paul Nicholls", "desc" => "There are bigger targets to come during the spring, but for a yard which prizes success above all else, last weekend will have been deemed a relative disappointment by those at Ditcheat, though Celestial Halo at least confirmed his resurgence in the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell and there was a taking hurdling debut by Zarkandar at Kempton on Saturday....", "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' Weekend Runners: The Timeform Review

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There are bigger targets to come during the spring, but for a yard which prizes success above all else, last weekend will have been deemed a relative disappointment by those at Ditcheat, though Celestial Halo at least confirmed his resurgence in the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell and there was a taking hurdling debut by Zarkandar at Kempton on Saturday.

The big race at the London track was, of course, the Racing Post Chase, and hopes were high beforehand that Fistral Beach would show up well twelve months on from blotting his copybook by unseating early on in the event. He did not. Whilst not entirely fluent, there must surely have been something else at play for him to stop as tamely as he did and it would be no surprise at all if something came to light. Conversely, it was no shock at all that Free World failed to last home as he's never looked as if likely to be suited by this sort of trip.

Tonic Melysse was sent off favourite for the Grade 2 Adonis Hurdle having won his sole previous start when with Jean-Pierre Daireaux, and whilst shaping with a fair degree of promise himself, it was the apparent second string, Zarkandar, who thrust himself into the Triumph Hurdle picture with a pretty emphatic successs on what was his British debut. He's a half-brother to Zarkava no less yet managed no more than fair form on the level in his days with Alain de Royer Dupre, but he's reportedly benefited from being gelded and gave the impression he can make an impact at the highest level with a two-and-a-quarter length defeat of yet another French import in Molotof. Soldatino started out in this country by winning this same race twelve months ago en route to the Triumph, and Zarkandar's current price of [10.0] to repeat the trick is certainly realistic, with stablemate and current top-rated juvenile Sam Winner available to back at [15.0].

After jumping left from the outset and duly finishing well beaten in the three-runner Pendil Novices' Chase won by Captain Chris, it's beginning to look as if American Trilogy is going to struggle to match his very useful hurdles form over fences, regardless of the fact he's sure to be suited by going back the other way round.

Sire de Grugy was an emphatic winner of the Dovecote, though Empire Levant wasn't discredited eleven lengths back in second, particularly given that it's possible the softer ground didn't aid his cause, and he's worth another chance to progress back under less testing conditions. The same is possibly true of stablemate Toubab, though a number of sloppy jumps hindered him further.

There was less encouragement in the later races on the card at Kempton, Mr Hudson well held when falling at the second last and lying winded for some time after on his handicap debut, something to bear in mind if turned out relatively quickly. In the bumper neither War of The World (seemingly in need of the run) nor Sleeping Tree cut much ice.

Vico hasn't endured much racing to date, raising fears that he's difficult to train, and he did plenty to further those doubts in the novice hurdle at Fontwell on Sunday. Despite holding form which justified short-priced favouritism, he was well held even before lugging badly right from the last in the style of one who was feeling something, there surely more to it than the testing conditions alone.

Lets end on a positive: the welcome return to winning ways of Celestial Halo. He didn't need to quite match the form shown when only just touched off by Mille Chief in the Kingwell to win the National Spirit Hurdle, but given his recent history it was certainly encouraging that he didn't go backwards from that hard race a mere eight days on. A six-length defeat of Trenchant doesn't make for top-class form, especially in receipt of 4 lb, but Celestial Halo is capable of better and, even if it hasn't been a happy hunting ground the last two seasons, is well worth targetting at the Aintree Hurdle now he's finally proven his stamina for the trip.

Harry Bowles / 28 Feb 2011

Paul Nicholls' Weekend Runners: The Timeform Review

Weekend Runners RSS / / 28 February 2011 / 2

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Zarkava's half-brother made a good start for Paul Nicholls at Kempton on Saturday

Zarkava's half-brother made a good start for Paul Nicholls at Kempton on Saturday

"Soldatino started out in this country by winning this same race twelve months ago en route to the Triumph, and Zarkandar's current price of [10.0] to repeat the trick is certainly realistic, with stablemate and current top-rated juvenile Sam Winner available to back at [15.0]."

There are bigger targets to come during the spring, but for a yard which prizes success above all else, last weekend will have been deemed a relative disappointment by those at Ditcheat, though Celestial Halo at least confirmed his resurgence in the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell and there was a taking hurdling debut by Zarkandar at Kempton on Saturday.

The big race at the London track was, of course, the Racing Post Chase, and hopes were high beforehand that Fistral Beach would show up well twelve months on from blotting his copybook by unseating early on in the event. He did not. Whilst not entirely fluent, there must surely have been something else at play for him to stop as tamely as he did and it would be no surprise at all if something came to light. Conversely, it was no shock at all that Free World failed to last home as he's never looked as if likely to be suited by this sort of trip.

Tonic Melysse was sent off favourite for the Grade 2 Adonis Hurdle having won his sole previous start when with Jean-Pierre Daireaux, and whilst shaping with a fair degree of promise himself, it was the apparent second string, Zarkandar, who thrust himself into the Triumph Hurdle picture with a pretty emphatic successs on what was his British debut. He's a half-brother to Zarkava no less yet managed no more than fair form on the level in his days with Alain de Royer Dupre, but he's reportedly benefited from being gelded and gave the impression he can make an impact at the highest level with a two-and-a-quarter length defeat of yet another French import in Molotof. Soldatino started out in this country by winning this same race twelve months ago en route to the Triumph, and Zarkandar's current price of [10.0] to repeat the trick is certainly realistic, with stablemate and current top-rated juvenile Sam Winner available to back at [15.0].

After jumping left from the outset and duly finishing well beaten in the three-runner Pendil Novices' Chase won by Captain Chris, it's beginning to look as if American Trilogy is going to struggle to match his very useful hurdles form over fences, regardless of the fact he's sure to be suited by going back the other way round.

Sire de Grugy was an emphatic winner of the Dovecote, though Empire Levant wasn't discredited eleven lengths back in second, particularly given that it's possible the softer ground didn't aid his cause, and he's worth another chance to progress back under less testing conditions. The same is possibly true of stablemate Toubab, though a number of sloppy jumps hindered him further.

There was less encouragement in the later races on the card at Kempton, Mr Hudson well held when falling at the second last and lying winded for some time after on his handicap debut, something to bear in mind if turned out relatively quickly. In the bumper neither War of The World (seemingly in need of the run) nor Sleeping Tree cut much ice.

Vico hasn't endured much racing to date, raising fears that he's difficult to train, and he did plenty to further those doubts in the novice hurdle at Fontwell on Sunday. Despite holding form which justified short-priced favouritism, he was well held even before lugging badly right from the last in the style of one who was feeling something, there surely more to it than the testing conditions alone.

Lets end on a positive: the welcome return to winning ways of Celestial Halo. He didn't need to quite match the form shown when only just touched off by Mille Chief in the Kingwell to win the National Spirit Hurdle, but given his recent history it was certainly encouraging that he didn't go backwards from that hard race a mere eight days on. A six-length defeat of Trenchant doesn't make for top-class form, especially in receipt of 4 lb, but Celestial Halo is capable of better and, even if it hasn't been a happy hunting ground the last two seasons, is well worth targetting at the Aintree Hurdle now he's finally proven his stamina for the trip.

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  1. P T o'hara | 04 March 2011

    why has Ruby Walsh only got one mount
    at newbury.

  2. Anonymous | 04 March 2011

    being off for so long RW wants to ease himself back into the saddle, and wants, I imagine, to start back with a winner. If ever P Nicholls gave a clear cut indication of a winner, this is it.
    Also, remember that very old Irish proverb 'softly, softly, catchee monkey'!