Paul Nicholls

Paul Nicholls Saturday Ascot and Taunton Runners: Jena d'Oudairies can break her duck

Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls
Read Paul Nicholls on his Saturday runners at Ascot and Taunton

Betfair Ambassador Paul Nicholls will saddle one runner at Ascot and four at Taunton on Saturday and here he discusses them all, including his best chance of the afternoon...

  • Paul Nicholls previews his five Saturday runners

  • Jena d'Oudairies has solid chance to break duck over hurdles

  • Paso Doble can build on decent return and run well again


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Ascot

14:15 Ascot - Hitman

He has missed a couple of engagements because of the weather and was due to run in a four horse Grade 2 chase at Kempton a week ago until the meeting was frozen off. He is difficult to place because he is handicapped to the hilt on a mark of 156 but still ran another fine race when a close second to Minella Drama in the Old Roan at Aintree in October.

He then had a nasty bout of colic on the way home, spent the best part of two weeks at our vets, and took a while to recover. He is fine now but has it all to do under top weight of 12 stone in this competitive handicap.


Taunton

12:55 Taunton - Just A Rose

She's a nice, big backward filly who joined us a year ago after winning an English Point-to-Point. The form looks decent but she has needed plenty of time to mature and was also held up by a cut sustained while schooling over hurdles. She was ready to start at Wincanton a fortnight ago until the meeting was called off and whatever she does at Taunton is likely to improve for the run.


12:55 Taunton - Roman Roy

He has been disappointing, wasn't finishing his races and made a noise when well beaten at Plumpton in November. So we gave him a little wind op six weeks ago. While I am hoping for more from Roman Roy now I suspect he will come on for the run.


13:30 Taunton - Jena d'Oudairies

I was pleased with her debut over hurdles at Wincanton on Boxing Day where she kept on strongly to finish second to a useful type with the favourite 17 lengths behind in third place. She has gone the right way since then and looks to have a solid chance.


15:15 Taunton - Paso Doble

He has had multiple problems these last few years and hadn't run for 1099 days before his comeback at Taunton just over a month ago. He ran well in the circumstances before tiring going to the second last flight. He's improved that run, has a nice, light racing weight in this veterans' race and could run very well.


Paul's Best Chance on Saturday Jena d'Oudairies: "She has a decent chance of breaking her duck over hurdles."


Timeform Verdict

Jenna d'Oudairies - 13:30 Taunton

It's a relatively low-key Saturday for Paul Nicholls, but his best chance looks to be Jenna d'Oudairies at Taunton. She was a €125,000 purchase who reached a fairly useful level of form in bumpers last season, building on previous promise when opening her account in that sphere at the third attempt at this course.

Jenna d'Oudairies underwent a breathing operation during the off-season and shaped with plenty of promise on her return and hurdling debut at Wincanton on Boxing Day, though she did look in need of the experience and her jumping wasn't as fluent at the last two flights.

That experience won't be lost on her, just the sort to take a big step forward, and she has seemingly been found a good opportunity here.


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