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Runners at Ascot and Wetherby for Paul on Saturday
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In-depth analysis of Pic D'orhy in Charlie Hall
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Viroflay should go very well at Ascot with Olive Nicholls riding
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Sans Bruit could impress and Fasol is good each-way chance
Racing... Only Bettor. Listen to Saturday's preview episode now.
Update - Caldwell Potter out for the season
After we published Paul Nicholls' Saturday runners preview - see below - the Betfair ambassador delivered the disappointing news via his X account that Caldwell Potter is out for the rest of the season.
Paul had high hopes this season for Caldwell Potter who won the Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and the Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree earlier this year. It's a blow to the Ditcheat yard but as Paul says: "He will be back."
Paul Nicholls Saturday Runners Preview - Wetherby
14:57 - Pic D'orhy
He's a fantastic horse, all those races he's won for us, Aintree, Ascot, and places like that, he won the Betfair Hurdle, he's a great horse, and he's a great horse fresh, he's won first time up four times.
Loves decent ground, he seems very well at home. Obviously, he's not getting any younger, he's 10-years-old. I was surprised to see that we have to give Protektorat 6lbs, who won that very valuable race at Windsor last year, so how you get away with winning a race worth about £175k and not get a penalty is a little bit odd. I was thinking that we would be level weights, then I realised the conditions, and we've got to give Protektorat 6lbs which won't be easy.
But Protektorat, historically, has always needed a little bit of a run, and in my view, has always wanted plenty of cut in the ground. There's a couple other horses in there with chances, obviously. Last year's winner (The Real Whacker), Hewick, he's always thereabouts on decent ground.
It's a competitive little race, but I'm very happy with Pic D'orhy, he's in good shape. I can't do any more with him. He had an away day to prepare for this so I can't do any more.
Three miles is open to debate, he's never been three miles so that's the only question, but he stays on very strongly at Ascot over two-and-three-quarter miles, so I don't see it being a problem. It might even bring out some more improvement.
Paul Nicholls Saturday Runners Preview - Ascot
12:55 - Byzantium
His mark is still workable, I'm pleased with that, although the summer form isn't up to much. He won two races very nicely with Jay Tidball on and I thought this was an ideal place to go. Jay keeps the ride on him.
He did have a good break after he won in the summer, so he's on the border of being ready but he might just improve a little bit for the run. We gave him two months off, he hasn't been in all the time, but he's a fit-looking horse, and he's always doing plenty so he won't be far away.
13:30 - Viroflay
He's been a good horse, he won some nice hurdle races for me, and then he went point-to-pointing with my daughter Olive, won the Coronation Cup twice, had some good form over two-and-a-half miles at Kempton and Stratford last year. He ran very well in the Punchestown Champion Hunter chase, he only just got touched off when he got a bit tired.
He ran a bit free over three miles so this trip would be much better for him first time out. He's good, fresh and he's got experience but he went to Kempton when he won his Hunter Chase rated 118, and he's 136 now after Punchestown. Olive takes a very handy 7lb off and we think he's ready, he's got the experience and he should go very well.
14:05 - Sans Bruit
He always seems to come good in the spring, I don't know quite why, but last year he ran two solid races early in the season at Ascot and also in the Haldon Gold Cup where he was second. We've done a lot of work with him, he had an away day with Pic D'orhy last week, he's very well.
He's got a nice lightweight, he's not very big so only to be carrying about 10st10lb in a race like this is perfect. It's just whether he's quite ready and good enough off his new mark to win, but he was progressive last year. It wouldn't surprise me if he ran very well.
15:10 - Fasol
He's a frustrating horse, he travels very well. He's much better right-handed, and I think he might have just needed the run the other day at Chepstow. He had a penalty, he didn't run too bad at all, and that would have put him right for this. He's got no weight with Freddie Keighley taking 7lb off meaning he's only got 10 stone to carry.
The faster they go, the better for him, and as I said, he likes going right-handed, and he likes good ground, so he's got a lot in his favour with a nice lightweight, but he is difficult to get his head in front. He ran some good races last year, and it wouldn't surprise me if he ran very well. Good each-way chance.
Ascot 15:10 - Afadil
He always comes good, normally at Christmas time, he loves Musselburgh, and he ran very well last year in the Imperial Cup. That was on very testing ground, and we didn't think he liked it.
He's a good, versatile fun horse, always seems to need a run, I've done a lot of graft with him and he's been working nicely, but he always seems to improve for a run, so that's probably what we're thinking at the moment. But I thought last week Hitman might need to run so it just shows you don't really know. But Afadil, historically, has always needed a run.
NON RUNNER - Ascot 16:20 - Le Cold Grey
He's a big baby, whatever he does on Saturday, he'll improve massively for the experience. Hasn't ever been away anywhere, he's an improver, we'd like to think he might finish in the first five or six and then he'll make a nice horse for the future.