Paul Nicholls: Welcome To Cartries has lovely chance at Sandown on Betfair Imperial Cup day

• Paul Nicholls on his six runners at Newbury on Saturday

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It's nervous anticipation now ahead of the Cheltenham Festival 

You are always nervous about every day of the Cheltenham Festival. Even though all of the preparations are done, we've still got four or five days of work to do and we do not want anything to go wrong. It is nervous anticipation as much as anything, but we are looking forward to it. 

Minella Yoga skips the Cheltenham Festival and will head to Sandown for £100k handicap 

Minella Yoga has been withdrawn from the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival. He is 100% but I spoke to Michael Geoghegan who owns him and we just felt a little more time would suit him. The ground is drying up and it would probably suit him not running on decent ground. He had a hard race at Cheltenham last time and I just think that in another couple of weeks it would have suited him better. 

We are going to try and qualify him for the novices' handicap final at Sandown, on the final day of the season, which is a £100K race. We have a good record in that race, so it gives him more time, it's a big pot and it's what we are going for with him.  

Tutti Quanti is on a roll ahead of Champion Hurdle tilt 

Tutti Quanti was supplemented for the Champion Hurdle, on Tuesday of the Festival, and he could not be better. I am very happy with him, he looks great, his work has been good. He's going to have to improve again for the Champion Hurdle, as it is a bit different running in this race than winning a handicap, but he could not have won that handicap any easier with 12 stone. 

He is on a bit of a roll, and it is a stiff task but this is not the hottest Champion Hurdle, we think we have a nice chance and we are looking forward to the challenge. You never know, he could just improve enough to run really well. We are excited about giving it a go. 

Mighty Park strikes me as a bit of a talking horse but we are glad to avoid him in Turners 

No Drama This End is back to favourite in the Turners Novices Hurdle, on Wednesday of the Cheltenham Festival, now that Mighty Park is going to run in the Supreme. But who knows about Might Park? He strikes me as a bit of a talking horse, so let's see what he does next week. 

He's won one maiden hurdle, but obviously Willie Mullins holds him in high regard, so it probably is good for us that he is running in the Supreme.  

It is still going to be a hot Turners to win but the important thing is that we are very happy with our boy, his preparation and where he is. Bring it on. 

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Paul Nicholls Sandown runners on Saturday

13:15 Sandown - Bibe Mus

We bought him to run in the Fred Winter and soon realised that, with the ratings, he is not going to get in. In two or three of the last years it's gone all the way down to 116 rated horses that have got in, but unfortunately 122 is not going to get in this year and we need to win on Saturday for him to qualify for Tuesday's race at the Festival, which is obviously close enough. 

We would not be going here if we were definitely going to get a run at Cheltenham, so he needs to win and the pressure is on to get him there. I'm not sure he wants the drying ground. We don't know that much about him really, but he seems to go nicely at home.

14:27 Sandown - Afadil

He was third in the Betfair Imperial Cup last year when the ground was testing and it should be a little better this year. He ran really well at Musselburgh last time. It is a very competitive race, but he could run ok, he has different ways of running but seems to be in form at the moment and it would not surprise me if he got placed. 

We will confirm him for the County Hurdle, I can't see him getting in but you cover all options. The Betfair Imperial Cup has been his target and it is more likely that after running in this he will go to Aintree.

14:27 Sandown - Nardaran

He's a big price. He likes better ground, has won at Sandown, probably wants two-and-a-half but you are going to have to stay to win this race. He ran very well at Southwell the other day behind Constitution Hill and came fifth, beaten a short head for fourth, so that tuned him up nicely for this run. 

The more the ground dries the better for him. He is lively outsider in a very competitive heat.

15:35 Sandown - Welcome to Cartries

Put a line through his recent run at Ascot, the ground was too soft, and it just did not work out that day. He loves Sandown, has run well there, and better ground will be fantastic for him. If he had not pulled up last time, he would probably be favourite for this. If he is back to his best, and he is at home, he would have a lovely chance.  

It is very tough to say which horse will win and which won't because these are competitive races, but I've got a feeling he will run very well for us on Saturday.

16:10 Sandown - Captain Bellamy

He has been frustrating this season. To be fair, he ran well at Newbury over fences on the first day and was very unlucky not to win. Last time at Newbury it was far too heavy for him, he was never going after he jumped the first, he never jumped well, so put a line through that. Better ground will suit him at the weekend. 

My only reservation is that Harry Cobden always thought he was better going left-handed but I'm not sure if that is a big factor or not. He has got a chance on the form of his first run if you put a line through his last run at Newbury.  

16:45 Sandown - Toothless

He was a nice winner at Windsor and unlucky not to back that up at Ludlow against a winner who has since run very well. The ground was soft enough for Toothless at Ludlow, so we were surprised by how well he ran, and he will like this better ground. Jay Tidball, the jockey, is taking five off, there are only four runners, and I think he will run well.

Now read Paul Nicholls 2026 Cheltenham Festival Stable Tour