Paul Nicholls Saturday Runners: Miss Altea Blue the pick of my four at Wincanton on Saturday

• 4yo allowances give Miss Altea Blue a winning chance

• Course winner Take Your Time should be competitive

• Trip and ground ideal for Quel Destin

• Place £10 bet on any sport on the Betfair Exchange to start your Free Bet Streak

Watch Paul Nicholls talk through his Saturday runners...

Paul's Ditcheat Decs 📋@PFNicholls discusses a couple of young prospects and an old favourite for Team Ditcheat at Wincanton on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/J5N8nkvZgV

-- Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) January 3, 2025

Racing... Only Bettor. Watch the latest episode now.

12:23 - Just A Rose

She's a nice, big, backward filly who joined us a year ago after winning a Point-to-Point. She has needed all the time since then to mature and whatever she does at Wincanton she is bound to improve for the experience.

12:58 - Miss Altea Blue

She finished a close second at Auteuil in September for her previous connections and has taken time to acclimatise since joining us a month later. We are still learning about Miss Altea Blue who ran with some promise when fifth of ten at Newbury on her debut for us at the end of November. She will appreciate going right-handed at Wincanton, gets all the allowances as a four-year-old filly, and I'm hopeful this is a race she can win.

13:33 - Take Your Time

He is useful in his own grade, relishes soft ground and ran very well to finish third on his seasonal debut in a hot race at Haydock where he led to three out. He was dropped 1lb after that and while he is still on a high enough handicap mark he won over fences at this track last season and should be competitive.

14:40 - Quel Destin

He's been a great horse for us, winning 11 of his 29 starts, and it's a bonus that now he has turned 10 he can run in veterans races like this. Although Quel Destin has to defy top weight of 12 stone I'm looking for a decent run given that two and a half miles on very soft ground is ideal for him.

Timeform Verdict

Miss Altea Blue - 12:58 Wincanton

The pick of Miss Altea Blue's form in France sets a clear standard and she should be difficult to beat if running to the sort of level she achieved when twice runner-up at Auteuil.

She was below her best when only fifth in a listed race at Newbury in November on her first start for Paul Nicholls, but she seemed in need of the experience over British-style hurdles and was spared a hard race once it was apparent she wasn't going to play a part in the finish.

As a four-year-old, Miss Altea Blue receives a generous weight-for-age allowance here and she is 25 lb clear of some admittedly unexposed rivals on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.

Now read more Horse Racing tips and previews here.