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Nicholls previews his runners on Friday's Betfair-sponsored card
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No Drama This End could be next Ditcheat winner of Sandown race
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Quebecois looks fantastic before Doyen Quest rematch
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Gorgeous unknown quantity is Paul's one runner at Exeter
Racing... Only Bettor. Listen to Betfair Tingle Creek day preview now.
Paul Nicholls on the season so far
We are third in the Trainers' Championship which is good, we had plenty of winners last week. Some horses are still not right, I think there are a lot of horses that are not quite right. Jonjo O'Neill's stable has been shut down for the past few weeks. It's nothing serious, there's just a cold going around the herd.
Basically, we have had some nice winners and some disappointing runners. It's the same for everyone. Our strike rate is still good so we are happy and getting revved up now.
Paul Nicholls' Friday runners at Sandown preview
12:35 - Pourquoi Pas Papa
This French horse looks absolutely amazing. He had an away day at Worcester and has done everything right, we are very happy with him, he worked great Wednesday morning with No Drama This End. The only thing is that two or three of our three-year-olds, such as Babyken and One Island, have run disappointing races. It's not only our three-year-olds, but others, such as Parchment.
I think these French horses need time to acclimatise. That's all it can be. Gold Cast pulled up after a mile-and-a-half which is unheard of. So if Pourquoi Pas Papa has acclimatised he will run well, if not, it is because he needs more time. I am looking forward to him running, he is a very nice horse.
13:10 - Mon Champion
He will improve a lot for his first run of the season at Sandown last month, especially as he is dropping back to two miles. He was as fat as a pig that day, so he needed a run. He has jumped fences very nicely, schooling at home and he has had a few runs over fences at Auteuil. The more it rains the better for him. I still think he will come on for another run but two miles is more suitable for him.
13:45 - No Drama This End
I will probably get some stick for changing my mind and entering him in this Betfair Winter Novices' Hurdle instead of the Challow but you've got to keep all options open. I thought for a big pot it was worth putting him in as he has worked very nicely. He didn't have a hard race at Cheltenham on 14 November and he's come out of it really well.
We have won this race with some very good horses in the past, such as See More Business and Neptune Collonges, it is a good race to win and I am very happy with him. I still would not rule out the Challow in just over three weeks' time, we'll see how he comes out of this, but if we miss the Challow then we miss it.
He's the type of horse who needs plenty of work, he thrives on everything he does, so yes I am looking forward to getting more experience into him and seeing how he goes.
14:20 - Quebecois
This is his second start of the season whereas Doyen Quest, who beat Quebecois at Exeter last month and runs again in this, had two or three runs before that race and was well revved up. It was my horse's first run over fences and he will have improved for it.
He won't want the ground too soft at Sandown on Friday but the chase track does not look too bad - it's good to soft, good, and that would be perfect for him. He's bound to be a lot closer because he is bound to have come on tons for that run at Exeter. He looks fantastic.
14:55 - Welcom to Cartries
I was mortified by his seasonal debut, he ran no race at all and I do not know why. He's frustrating a little bit at the moment but he has done a lot of work, he looks great, he has run well at Sandown before, so hopefully off 130 he will run well. It is a nice mark for him but he needs to go and prove it now. He's a lovely horse and I'm sure there is a key to him somewhere.
15:30 - Courageous Strike
He was winning fairly ordinary novice hurdles, where he got a lead from the front, and ran very keenly at Newton Abbot last time out. He has improved tons for the run and just needs to relax. I put a hood on him to try to get him to relax a bit. If he settles he will run well.
Paul Nicholls' Friday runners at Exeter preview
15:38 - Jpr Two
I have not done enough work with him to know if he will be one of my top bumper horses this season. He's very much a chaser of the future, won't be the quickest in the world, but he keeps galloping and had a lovely gallop at Chepstow a month ago, he went very nicely. He gets on with his work at home and is very fit. I'm really looking forward to getting him out on the track, to deciding whether he goes over hurdles or whether we give him another bumper run. He's a gorgeous horse.