Paul Nicholls: Sabrina hoping to bewitch rivals at Chepstow

• Quel Destin a good each way chance with first time cheek pieces

• Flemenstide will go well fresh

• A big run expected from Sabrina at Chepstow

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Will improve as he gains experience

Kempton 12:45 - Him Malaya

I was a bit disappointed with his racecourse debut at Newton Abbot where he was green and a bit babyish and then made a bad mistake at the final flight which put paid to his chances. A full brother to our smart mare Malaya he is on a learning curve as he gains experience.

Could pick up the pieces behind Edwardstone

Kempton 14:30 - Dolos

Tough and genuine he looks tremendous at the moment, as well as I've ever had him, and has come on nicely for an excellent run in the Haldon Gold Cup where he was second to Greaneteen. He is so hard to place off his handicap mark so we are hoping he can pick up some of the pieces behind Edwardstone.

Will come on nicely for previous run

Kempton 15:09 Quel Destin

He became a member of the Fat Boys Club when he returned into training in July after eighteen months off the track with a tendon injury. So he needed his first run of the season behind Ballygriffincottage at Haydock, has come on plenty for the race, loves soft ground and and looks to have a nice each way chance fitted with cheek pieces for the first time.

Sharper and fitter for his previous run

Kempton 15:40 - Kandoo Kid

A horse I've always liked, he missed most of last season after picking up an injury at home shortly after winning tidily on his hurdles debut at Ascot in October. He was a bit too fresh and keen on his return to action at the same course in November and paid for it in the closing stages. Yet he still finished a respectable third and I'm hoping for an improved performance from Kandoo Kid now that he is sharper and fitter.

A nice prospect if he can settle

Chepstow 12:00 - Half Dozen

He ran better on his second start this season a month ago at Newbury where, despite being keen early on, he stayed on to finish third behind Jet Powered, a decent horse of Nicky Henderson's. He is a nice prospect who needs to learn to settle in his races.

Good run expected on hurdle debut

Chepstow 12:30 State of Power

He's a fine, big scopey type who won his Point-to-Point in the mud by thirty lengths in Ireland on deep ground last February. I'm expecting a decent run on his debut for us over hurdles.

Halo hoping for rain

Chepstow 13:05 - Broken Halo

He enjoys soft ground and was going OK over the Grand National fences at Aintree last time early in November until a couple of mistakes put him on the back foot. He is normally a sound jumper and the more it rains at Chepstow the better he will run.

Has a chance stepping up in grade

Chepstow 13:40 - Dixon Cove

She is unbeaten in two starts for us and showed a great attitude in victory last time by staying on stoutly to see off her rivals in a juvenile hurdle at Aintree early this month. She has her chance upped in grade against some useful opponents.

Ready to go on seasonal debut

Chepstow 14:10 - Flemenstide

We've been very patient with Flemenstide a raw, chasing type who hasn't been straightforward and has needed plenty of time. He goes well fresh, won first time out last season and is ready to go now after taking a while to come to himself. We'll see how he runs at Chepstow before deciding when he goes over fences.

Expecting a big run from a likeable mare

Chepstow 14:10 - Sabrina

A likeable mare with a willing attitude she showed much improved form last season and has continued to progress in recent starts. She was unlucky to be beaten in a tight finish to a decent race at Wincanton before landing a novice hurdle in style at Exeter by sixteen lengths. I am expecting a big run from Sabrina who has plenty in her favour with a feather weight on her back and Freddie Gingell taking of an extra 7lbs.

Emotional scenes if Trucker can get his head in front

Chepstow 14:50 - Truckers Lodge

He is a standing dish in this race, a real mudlark, having finished second, third and seventh in recent years, but has found it hard to get his head in front in the last couple of years because of an overly high handicap mark. He needed his first run of the season at Haydock, has a more realistic mark now, down 14lbs from a peak of 155, and our promising young claimer Freddie Gordon takes off a further 7lbs. Stand by for emotional scenes if Truckers Lodge wins as this year's renewal is named after Freddie's mum Kim who died tragically young.

Could go very well on soft ground

Chepstow 15:25 - Young Buck

He was a progressive staying novice hurdle at one time but needed his run at at this track early this month having been on the sidelines for eighteen months. He had a wind op in the summer, has tightened up nicely, loves soft ground, and jumps soundly so it wouldn't surprise me to see his go very well.

Has a good chance despite 4lb penalty

Chepstow 15:55 - Isaac Des Obeaux

He has to carry a 4lbs penalty after winning narrowly at Chepstow at the start of a November. He showed a willing attitude to see off a persistent challenge that day, seems to have improved for the run and has obvious claims in this valuable bumper.

Targeted for this race since his last outing

Wetherby 14:45 - Friend Or Foe

The Castleford Chase at Wetherby had been on the cards for Friend or Foe since he ran well under top weight in a toughly contested handicap at Sandown on December 3rd where he was up with the leaders until tiring two fences from home. That was a useful prep race for Friend and Foe who is ideally suited by two miles on soft ground. I am hoping he will run well ridden by Bryony Frost who has won twice on him.

Should be competitive on bumper debut

Wetherby 15:20 - Tarras Wood

A nice prospect by Kayf Tara, he has shaped encouraging at home with some of our bumper horses that have won in the last couple of months. He's ready for this debut and should be competitive.

Best chance: Sabrina (14:10 Chepstow) is one of several with solid chances.

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