With the core jumps season almost upon us, it’s time to consider the strength in depth at the Somerset yard of Paul Nicholls, champion trainer in nine of the past 10 seasons. Here are the 82 horses he paraded at his owners’ day last month, described in his own words. As in the past, these comments are basically what he said about them during the parade, supplemented in some cases with details from his pre-season brochure and with comments he shared with me afterwards. Some of these horses will have progressed or regressed in the intervening weeks but this serves as a record of their trainer’s thoughts about them as the season approached.
Rocky Creek
Started last season by running second in the three-mile Grade One at Down Royal and I thought he’d run really well in the Hennessy but he was disappointing. We left him off until February, kept him nice and fresh and he bolted home in the Betbright. After that, he was joint-favourite for the Grand National but, for whatever reason, he didn’t take to Aintree the second time [having been fifth in 2014] and he didn’t run his race there at all. He can be a bit sulky at times but he’s still a horse with a huge amount of talent. We’ll start off at Down Royal again or in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby and we may well have another crack at Aintree.
Just A Par
Won Sandown’s Bet365 Gold Cup on the last day of last season under a fantastic ride from Sean Bowen. He stays very well but he has to be ridden patiently and it took us a while to work that out. His target this season is definitely the Grand National. It’s taken him a while to mature but he looks as well as he’s ever looked.
Arpege D’Alene
We’ve got 40 novice chasers for this season and here’s one. He had three runs over hurdles last season and won very nicely at Ascot the first time, when he jumped very well. I put him straight into a Grade One next time, which probably wasn’t the brightest thing to do, but he showed a touch of class to beat Tea For Two back at Ascot in February. He’s got some experience now, having been very green and backward last summer. He’s a lovely, big scopey horse who has now matured enormously and he’s one to look forward to.
Emerging Talent
He was frustrating last season. He ran a promising race first time at Chepstow but then got caught close home at Cheltenham and fell two out at Ascot. He was finishing his races weakly, so we gave him a breathing op. He’s only young and my idea is for him to go to Chepstow for the Persian War on 10 October and then probably go chasing unless he does something really good over hurdles.
Present Man
Won a bumper at Wincanton last November but ran as though something was wrong when we stepped him up in class at Newbury in February. He was a big, backward, scopey horse, so we decided to put him away and keep him as a novice hurdler for this season. He’s a big horse who’s going to take plenty of time. He wouldn’t want the ground too soft. There’s a 2m6f novice hurdle at Wincanton in November that we won with Denman and others, which could be a good starting point for him and then we’ll go from there.
Sirabad
Here’s one who’s near the top of my list of novice chasers, having been rated 137 over hurdles. He’s a big, backward type but he’s got loads of scope and we like what we see from him. We gave him a school at the end of last season, though we didn’t ask a lot of him. He joined us just before Christmas, having won over hurdles at Auteuil on his last start in France, and he won for us at Sandown in March.
Irish Saint
Won three times last season, when he was one of our best novice chasers, and he stormed home in the Pendil at Kempton in February. As he matures, he looks like wanting three miles. I might start him off at Newton Abbot on 9 October in a race we won with Wonderful Charm last year and then maybe on to Ascot for the last weekend in October, or he could go to Down Royal. He’s only just started to mature and I think he could be a really decent three-mile chaser.
Saphir Du Rheu
He unseated Sam on his chasing debut at Newbury, when he was a bit fresh and enthusiastic, won easily at Exeter and then had another fall at Kempton on Boxing Day, so we went back to hurdles after Christmas and he repaid that decision when winning the Cleeve Hurdle and running second in the World Hurdle. Then we went for the Grade One novice chase at Aintree, which was a brave shout at the end of a season like that, but he won and jumped nicely, looking a reformed character. If we’ve got a Gold Cup horse in the yard, it’s him. Whether it’s this season or next, I don’t know. He is an exciting prospect. I’ve just got to manage him right, that’s the thing, because he is a young horse who lacks a bit of experience. [The Gold Cup?] It’s going to be a good year this year. Sometimes a horse like that, you could bottom him. He’ll tell us, won’t he? If it looks like he should be there, he’ll be there. It wouldn’t be the worst thing if it was another year, that’s all. I think he needs a patient approach. He’ll obviously have an entry for the Hennessy. I always think, second-season novices, the Hennessy’s a great race for them. He’s also eligible for graduation chases. [The King George?] I’m not sure Kempton’s necessarily . . . I think he’s a real good stayer. I think possibly on soft ground, yeah, but I’m not totally convinced about the King George, to be honest with you. I think he might be a better horse around Leopardstown or Cheltenham, more a staying track.
Boa Island
Was bought at Cheltenham in November after running third of 18 in an Ayr bumper on his debut. He had two runs on the point to point circuit for Jack Barber in the spring. He’s big and scopey and jumps very well. He’ll start in three-mile novice hurdles and it won’t be too long before he goes novice chasing.
Ibis Du Rheu
He’s a half-brother to Saphir Du Rheu and was very backward last year, a bit like Saphir was initially. He’s a much more mature horse this year. I think we’ll give him one run over hurdles in the autumn and it won’t be long before he goes chasing. There’s no rush, he’s only four, he’s big and scopey and when he jumps fences, he’ll be really exciting.
Unioniste
[Very fresh while being paraded] As he gets older, he thinks he’s getting younger! The plan was the Grand National last season but he only lasted to the fifth. He won a valuable chase at Sandown in January and ran with credit on other occasions in races won by the horses that later won the Gold Cup and the Grand National. We’ll probably run him a few more times this season. He’s as well as he’s ever been. There are plenty of good staying chases for him and he’ll have another entry for Aintree. He needs a strong stamina test.
Earthmoves
A half-brother to Ptit Zig and he’s won some good races, including two over hurdles last season. He wants really decent ground, so we’ll get him going early and aim him at Chepstow on 10 October for the Silver Trophy. It won’t be too long before he goes chasing.
Amanto
He had a prep race before last season on the Flat at Newbury in August, when he was beaten just a neck under Megan. I thought he was quite well handicapped for hurdles but it didn’t really happen for him. He’s strengthened up and he could be really well handicapped now. He’ll be in handicap hurdles again and he might have one run on the Flat first.
Ceasar Milan
He always seems to need a run. I thought he’d go well first time at Newbury last November but he needed it. Then he went to Exeter on New Year’s Day and beat Whisper in a beginners’ chase, which is very good form, and he jumped very well. We were lining him up for Cheltenham but he had a bad fall schooling the week before, so we roughed him off. He could be well handicapped and he might even go to the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November.
Persian Delight
Those of you that were here for the Owners’ Day last year, this was the horse that we sold at auction that day. He won a Taunton bumper on his racecourse debut in February. He then went for a Grade Two at Aintree in April but the ground might have been a bit quick for him. He got the experience anyway and he’ll now go novice hurdling, possibly to Wincanton at the end of October. He’s built to go chasing in time.
Le Mercurey
He was a good hurdler in France but he started here off a mark of 149, which was ludicrous. He ran tidy at Ascot on his second start for us when he was third in a Grade Two but we really didn’t get stuck into him last season. His future is over fences and I expect he’ll be novice chasing at the end of October. He could be a high-class chaser this season. Some of these French horses take 12 months to acclimatise. [Horse bouncing fresh while parading] He was never like that last year.
Art Mauresque
Took his time to acclimatise since joining us in 2013. He was disappointing when we sent him to Auteuil for his seasonal reappearance last year but won well on his chasing debut at Kempton in March on his next start and he won twice after that. Good ground was key to his success in the spring. He jumps well and he’s ready to run well again now. We plan to send him to Newton Abbot on 9 October. He’s still a novice over fences until 1 November.
Sound Investment
Was a huge improver last year and surprised me, winning two races off top weight, at Sandown in November and Newbury in February. He’s rated over 150 now, which won’t make life easy, but he looks superb and it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise if he keeps on improving. He doesn’t want the ground too soft, so he’ll be ready to go soon.
Rainy City
A half-brother to Theatre Guide. He was Megan’s first winner under Rules for us, in a bumper at Doncaster in November, which was a big moment. He was very weak, so, after he was fourth in a maiden race on his hurdles debut, we left him off so that he’d be a novice this season. We’ll start off with a novice hurdle or two and see how we go. On decent ground at the small tracks, we should have some fun with him, though I’m not saying he can be a Saturday horse.
As De Mee
We managed to get him beat when he was a hot favourite at Worcester in October but we did plenty of work with his jumping and, as his attitude improved, he won three times last season, including the EBF final at Sandown in March. He’ll go novice chasing this season but might have one run in a handicap hurdle first. He’s a big, scopey horse and whatever he achieved over hurdles is a bonus. He’s matured and strengthened up and he’ll be one to follow over fences.
Howlongisafoot
Was a novice chaser last year, winning twice. He’s not the most straightforward, he travels well and then sometimes pulls up in front. He needs an easy three miles or a stiff two and a half and he likes decent ground. We’ll have him well forward for the early meetings.
Minellahalfcentury
A novice chaser last season and won at Chepstow in December. He jumps nicely and travels well. I was a bit disappointed with him at Exeter last time, when he was pulled up after bleeding quite badly. I’ve no idea why that happened. He’ll be ready to run from November and the Welsh National is a possible target.
Full Blast
He was disappointing last year. He was a bit keen on his first run for us, over hurdles at Chepstow in October, when he stopped as though he’d been shot. After he was pulled up at Fontwell in December, we gave him a breathing operation and gave him plenty of time off. Again, he might be one of those who needed a bit of time to acclimatise. He’s still eligible for novice hurdles and will be ready to run early. We should see some improvement now, provided he learns to settle. [Full Blast pulled hard early when second of eight at Newton Abbot in late September]
All Yours
A half-brother to Lac Fontana, he showed massive improvement last year. He was a bit keen at Ludlow in November and was beaten when he fell. He looked ordinary that day but we gave him more time and he came back to win in February at Taunton, when I wasn’t sure the ground would suit him. He went on to win the Grade One juvenile hurdle at Aintree in April and was undoubtedly one of our most improved horses. I think there’s more to come as he matures physically. He will probably start in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.
Benvolio
A good staying chaser who got chinned on the line in the Welsh National last year. That’s his race, so we’ll take our time with him in the autumn and go to Chepstow. He’ll also have an entry in the Grand National. He loves soft ground.
Silviniaco Conti
Once again had a great season, bar the Gold Cup. He’s done incredibly well to win the races he has, two King Georges, two Betfairs and two Betfred Bowls, as well as a Charlie Hall. He’ll start in the Betfair this time. He’s had problems with sarcoids. They were just troubling him a bit last year. I said to the owners, if we don’t sort them out now, it might just be troublesome this year. So we just dealt with it. He’s had them ever since we’ve had him and they’ve just got worse and worse. And of course one was right where his girth was getting him and one was on his chest, just irritating him. I was having a nightmare getting him to the King George last year. But that’s like technical things we have to deal with all the time, with horses. It’s not much. I could get him to Down Royal if I really pressed the buttons but there’s probably no point doing that. It’ll be of no consequence to him, he’s fine. It’s not a thing that’ll cause him a problem, it’s just a technical hitch. [But he’s usually better for a run] He is, that is the problem. I think with the new gallop and other bits and pieces, we’ll have him ready this year. He’ll definitely have a racecourse gallop somewhere before the Betfair. I don’t know if there’s much else he can run in. He’ll probably miss the Gold Cup this year and we’ll maybe send him to Leopardstown, Aintree and Punchestown. He might have a Grand National entry this time.
Rebel Rebellion
He’s 10 now, one of the oldest in the yard. Jack Sherwood won on him at Ascot and Newbury last season and gets on particularly well with him. He’s rated 156 or 157 now, which will make life very hard, but he can run in veterans’ races and there’s some good prize money for those.
Dodging Bullets
He looks amazing. He won three Grade Ones last season, including the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, and it looks like we finally worked out how to train him. I was mortified when he was only third at Cheltenham in November, I don’t know how he got beat. But mentally he’s changed completely, he’s a lot more relaxed. We’re looking forward to a good season with him and we’ll follow the same route, to the Tingle Creek, Ascot and the Champion Chase.
It’s A Close Call
Doesn’t want the ground too soft and, after he was beaten on heavy at Wincanton in January, we’ve learned to wait for better ground with him. He’s already schooled over fences and jumps well. He should be a nice staying novice chaser this season and we hope to have a lot of fun with him. He’s only run four times and is bound to improve with experience.
Silsol
Had a fantastic season and won first time up at the Hennessy meeting, when I didn’t think he’d be ready and told the owner not to come, which was a bit embarrassing. He also won the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las in January and ended the season rated 158. He’s the highest rated hurdler we’ve got to go chasing with this season. He’s always jumped well, like a chaser, and he loves soft ground. We’re going to have to spread our novice chasers around this season and he’s one who could go north for opportunities on soft ground.
Calipto
A scopey and athletic horse for novice chasing. Having been fourth in the Triumph 18 months ago, he was a bit frustrating last season. We gave him a breathing op before the Betfair Hurdle, in which he was fourth, but he failed to deliver in the spring. He could go chasing in October at Chepstow or Cheltenham. He jumps nicely and wants decent ground.
Virak
Won three novice chases last season but now he’s on a mark of 154, which won’t make life easy. He’s mad fresh, as you can see. He might be one for an early intermediate chase at Carlisle. There’s plenty of improvement to come yet.
Bol D’Air
A four-year-old who’s just joined us from France and a quality individual, from the stable of F-X de Chevigny, who sold us All Yours last year. He had two runs in France, he was fourth in a bumper and then won one. He’ll be schooled over hurdles next week [mid-September] and then go novice hurdling.
Ptit Zig
Won four in a row from November to January, we had a fantastic time with him but then we got a bit brave, ran him in a Grade One at Ascot in February and he fell, which slightly halted his season’s momentum. He had a tough time in the spring and we decided not to run him again after he was fifth at the Festival. He’s matured and we’ll have to take on the big days now. He might be a bit hard to place but he could go to Down Royal early in the season and there’s a race at Ascot at the end of November. He should get three miles now.
Black Thunder
Won an intermediate chase at Sandown in December but it was a bit tough for him after that. He was fifth at Cheltenham in January, a cracking run but it told us he just falls short of Gold Cup standard and then injury ended his season in March. He’s the ideal horse for marathon races but life won’t be easy off his mark.
Alcala
Totally unexposed, having joined us from France a couple of years ago. He was fourth in the Adonis last year on his first run for us and we put him away but he choked at Exeter in October. We gave him a breathing operation after that but he never came to himself, so we didn’t run him again. He’s been given plenty of time to mature and looks a stronger horse now. He’s got a mark of 123, which is very workable, and he’ll start in a novice handicap hurdle at Cheltenham’s Paddy Power meeting, which he just gets into. After that, he’s a big, scopey type who could go chasing.
Connetable
A compact, strong-looking horse who joined us from France about five weeks ago. He won on his hurdles debut at Compiegne in April and stayed on well without getting up at Auteuil in May. He’s got a mark of 139, which is already quite high, but he’s a nice juvenile hurdler and we’re just learning about him. He could run at the Paddy Power meeting, maybe.
Southfield Vic
Won four times over hurdles last season under three different jockeys, most notably in the Red Mills series final at Haydock in April under a determined ride from Sean Bowen. He might have one run over hurdles to start him off but he should be a really nice staying chaser. We schooled him before he went home at the end of last season. He had a little setback but he’s back cantering this week [early September] and should be ready to run in early November.
Vicenzo Mio
Missed last year with a leg injury but has shown a huge amount of promise and his mark of 130 could be very workable in handicap hurdles over two and a half miles. He’s a big, strong horse who might do very well in staying races eventually. He’s been in since 1 July and done plenty of work.
Red Hanrahan
An ex-Irish point to pointer who won impressively at Durrow in March. He looks scopey but we haven’t done much with him. He’ll be in staying novice hurdles from November.
Port Melon
He’s been a bit of a nearly horse over hurdles, though he did win a maiden event at Taunton in April. We gave him a breathing operation in the summer and he’ll go novice chasing soon. He could run in one more novice hurdle if we think he needs that first. He’s a big, scopey horse who should do well chasing.
Far West
Won two novice chases last season and was second to some high-quality horses as well. He’s not the biggest but he’s really strong and he jumps really tidily. The Paddy Power Gold Cup will be his first run, I suspect, and we’ll see if he can do a Caid Du Berlais. I hope he can still win off 150.
Captain Buck’s
Ran third in a French bumper on his only start so far and might have one more run in a bumper before going hurdling. He’s got a nice jumps pedigree and is by a fashionable French sire who is a full brother to Big Buck’s.
Warrior’s Tale
Joined us in August, having won twice over hurdles for Nicky Richards last season. He’s a lovely, big, scopey horse who looks every inch a chaser and we’re very pleased with what he’s done so far.
Rock On Oscar
Won his only start in a point to point but pulled too hard on his only run for us last season, when sixth at Kempton in February. He’s had various little problems but he’ll be ready to start in novice hurdles and then possibly on to novice handicap chases.
Morito Du Berlais
A breathing operation in the summer of 2014 gave him a new lease of life and he won his first two starts and ended his season with an impressive win at Ascot in March. He stays nicely. There’s a staying handicap hurdle for him at Newton Abbot on 9 October, if he’s ready, and then he could go novice chasing.
Vibrato Valtat
Proved himself a top-class chaser last season, winning a Grade One at Sandown and two Grade Twos in his novice season. You can put a line through his run at Sandown at the end of the season, as he was badly interfered with when something fell at the first. He’ll go to the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter in November, that looks the perfect race for him, and then on to the Tingle Creek. He will get 2m4f this season. He’s tough, genuine and will give us a lot of fun.
San Benedeto
Though he ran quite free each time, he won twice from four starts over hurdles last season. He’s a novice until 1 November and he might be the type to start in the valuable four-year-old hurdle at Chepstow in October. There’s also a Listed race at Kempton that might suit him, it being a flat track.
Irving
Was our 100th Grade One winner in the Fighting Fifth but he had a mixed season other than that and we had a bit of trouble with his feet. He likes softish ground. I might try him over a bit further than two miles this winter. There’s a 2m4f hurdle at Ascot and, if the ground is soft enough, we’ll look at Newcastle again.
Salubrious
A Festival winner over hurdles two years ago, he made a winning debut over fences at Fontwell last October but was then sidelined by a leg injury. He’s been back in since 1 July, doing lots of work, and he’ll be ready to run from mid-November, when the ground’s soft. He’s got a handicap mark in the mid-150s, so life will not be easy. I would think graduation chases would be ideal for him and moving into good handicaps in the spring.
Sametegal
Missed last season with a leg injury, having been a useful handicap hurdler. He’s been in since 1 July and has done lots of work. It won’t take too much to get him ready and he could be running in mid-October. I’m looking forward to a novice chase campaign.
Alibi Di Sivola
From a really good family, being a half-brother to Urbain De Sivola, out of a half-sister to Reve De Sivola. He ran with a lot of promise on his only start for us in a Kempton bumper early last year but he missed last season with an injury. He’s been back since 1 July and is going well ahead of a novice hurdle campaign.
Nexius
Has been very progressive for Keith Dalgleish since going hurdling two years ago and won twice last season. He’s a lovely, big, scopey horse, so we won’t mess around over hurdles and will send him novice chasing.
Brave Jaq
Won his only race so far, a bumper at Pau, beating 13 rivals. He was balloted out of the Aintree bumper in April and we decided to leave him after that. He’s schooled very well and is ready to go over hurdles, starting in October. I’m really looking forward to running him.
Qualando
Made his British debut in a maiden hurdle in January and won the Fred Winter two months later. Our juveniles always improve in the spring, I don’t know why. This one is a really scopey, chasing type but we’ll keep to hurdles for now and see how far we can go. He’ll definitely get an entry in the Greatwood Hurdle and at some stage he’ll make a nice chaser.
Modus
Ran second in the Festival bumper for Robert Stephens before we bought him at auction in May. We’ve schooled him over hurdles and he jumps nicely, so he’s a really exciting horse to go novice hurdling with.
Chartbreaker
Formerly with Andreas Wohler and a winner on the Flat in France. It took him a long while to get over a gelding operation after he joined us last summer, so we left him for this season. He’s come together nicely, he’s been schooled and he’ll be running in novice hurdles.
Vicente
Got his first win over fences on the first day of this season and won again in May. He needs to go left-handed but he could be quite exciting as a novice chaser. He’ll be ready to go early on because he does want decent ground.
Ulck Du Lin
This one was Sean Bowen’s first winner for us, at Ascot in November, and he won again under Harry Cobden at Wincanton in April. He’ll keep running in two-mile chases on decent ground, possibly starting at Ascot at the end of October. He wouldn’t want it too soft. The handicapper will have a large say now and a lower hurdles mark might present an option.
Copain De Claisse
This is a horse for the future, a strong and imposing animal who won his only start in a Vichy bumper in May quite nicely, being very slow out of the stalls but powering up the straight. Captain Buck’s, who is also now with us, was third and the second has won since. He’ll run over hurdles this side of Christmas but I don’t want to think about the Triumph with him. He needs time to mature this season.
Capeland
Out of the same mould as Copain De Claisse, being a big horse that we’re going to have to mind. He’s the winner of his only start in a bumper at Le Lion D’Angers in May, when he was green throughout but galloped on strongly. He’s only been in six weeks but he will probably go juvenile hurdling this season. He’s a nice horse for the future.
Sam Winner
Started last season with a bang, winning at Cheltenham in November under a never-say-die ride from Sam. He won again at Aintree but then had to take on the big boys and lost his way a bit in the spring. He’s still classy and will have entries in many of the top three-mile chases again.
Abidjan
Took a long time to mature physically and was initially quite slow to show us his potential but he won over hurdles at Newton Abbot in April. He’s a novice until 1 November and could go to Chepstow for a novice race or a handicap, as his mark of 123 is quite workable. [In the end, Abidjan won at odds of 4-7 in a novice hurdle at Exeter in early October]
Mon Successeur
A half-brother to Easter Day, he won a couple over fences in France in May but remains a novice for the whole of this season, so we can do what we like and might go hurdling and then chasing. He hasn’t been in that long but won’t take a lot of getting ready.
Marracudja
Showed great promise on his debut in a French hurdles race but has been disappointing since, including when last of six on his first start for us at Doncaster in December. We’ve given him plenty of time and he could start in a novice handicap hurdle. He should be a ready-made hurdles winner, though he’s a big, chasing type of horse.
Adrien Du Pont
A really exciting juvenile hurdler who won his only start in France by two lengths at Enghien in April. He has benefited hugely from a full summer at grass in Ditcheat. We haven’t tested any of the youngsters yet but we like him.
Rouge Devils
Unraced. We bought him at a sale in Ireland last summer. He’s very green but a lovely, big horse who showed us plenty in the spring. He’ll be ready to run in a month’s time and is a nice type of horse.
Urbain De Sivola
Fourth to Don Poli in a handicap hurdle at the 2014 Festival, which was the last time he ran, as he had an injury last season. He’s been in since 1 July and should be a novice chaser from November. He should be a ready-made winner of a novice chase and he loves to go left-handed.
The Eaglehaslanded
Has won each race he’s completed so far, a point to point, a bumper and a novice hurdle at Chepstow in March. He’s a novice until 1 November, so we’ll have him ready to go in October and then handicap hurdling before chasing.
Old Guard
A winner on his hurdles debut at Newbury in November but he only has bits and pieces of form apart from that. But he has a mark of 137 that we might be able to work with, possibly over 2m4f. He’s done very well in the summer and he hadn’t had a break before, having run on the Flat for Roger Charlton last summer. I’m very pleased with him and he could go to Chepstow or Cheltenham in the early autumn. He wouldn’t want the ground too soft.
Anatol
Joined us in the spring of 2014 but picked up an injury that autumn that has kept him off the track. It might have been the best thing to miss last season because he has matured really well. He’s got a nice mark of 132 and could go to Ascot at the end of October. He’s an interesting and exciting prospect.
Aux Ptits Soins
Won the Coral Cup for us at the Festival in March, having joined us in September. It was his first start for us, as he’d needed treatment for ulcers when he arrived. It’s very exciting that he was able to win at Cheltenham like that in a handicap against the big boys, when he jumped a bit novicey but got away with it. He’s a really exciting chasing prospect. He’s a bit behind just now, he’s had a few little issues, but he should be ready to run over hurdles at Ascot in November and then go chasing. But I’ll let him tell us when he’s ready.
Urubu D’Irlande
He’s been somewhat frustrating; every time he runs, he seems to get injured. He’s a seven-year-old who has only seen a racecourse four times in his life and he needed three months in his box after winning at Wincanton in November, the last time he raced. He’s got a handicap mark of 135, so we’ll see how we go but I dare say we’ll have to go novice chasing at some point. He’s got loads of ability but he’s very fragile.
Southfield Theatre
We always thought of him as a chaser and he won three novice chases last season before going to the Festival, where he was runner-up in the RSA. He suffered a serious cut to his leg in that race, so we gave him lots of time and it’s healed up nicely. He’s an exciting horse to go chasing with and he might start in the Rising Stars at Sandown on 5 November. I think three miles is going to suit him and I hope he’ll have a really good season.
Firsty
A big, scopey four-year-old who joined us midway through the last season, having run second in a couple of French hurdle races. We gave him time to mature, so he starts this season as a novice. He’ll be a nice chaser one day.
Clan Des Obeaux
Won a French bumper on his only start so far in April. By the same sire as As De Mee, he is big and athletic and a future chasing type. He’s a juvenile hurdler this season but not necessarily a Triumph Hurdle type.
Cowards Close
Chasing has been the making of this horse, who won the Royal Artillery Gold Cup at Sandown in February. He’s got loads of ability but he’s quite fragile and he hated the soft ground at Sandown that day. He had a few minor problems after that, so he didn’t run again but he’ll be ready in October to run at Chepstow or Cheltenham. If we can keep him sound, he’s definitely handicapped to win.
Monsieur Gibraltar
Won twice over hurdles in France before joining us in February and scoring on his only run so far for us at Newton Abbot in April. We liked him at home before that win. I’m thinking now of the Tote Silver Trophy at Chepstow in October. He might be ready for that. He’s got plenty of ability.
Mr Mole
Kicked off last season with a hat-trick of wins, culminating in Newbury’s Game Spirit, a milestone win for AP McCoy which prompted him to announce his retirement from the saddle. Mr Mole was hailed as a reformed character throughout the season and his success is one of my proudest achievements. I’m thinking that 2m4f might suit him better this season, or even further. There are certainly nice races to be won with him. He is a character but we don’t mind that if they win.
Mr Mix
A half-brother to Royale Flag, a French-trained Grade One winner. He was third on his only run so far, in a really good race in France in September last year. He’s had a few temperamental issues but we’ve taught him to relax and jump and he’s well behaved now. We’ve kept his novice status over hurdles and he could be really interesting. He’ll be ready to run in mid-October.
Easter Day
Was unlucky last season. He had an injury schooling, so he missed work before his reappearance when third of four at Newbury in December. He was travelling sweetly at Cheltenham the next month when he knuckled over on landing three out. He seemed to lose his confidence before Kempton, where a bad early mistake spoiled his chance in the Betbright. He’s probably well handicapped and he’s got a tonne of ability. He’ll have an entry in the Hennessy but I want to give him a run first to help him get his confidence back. He’s definitely capable of winning a nice race.
Romain De Senam
A sharp-looking juvenile hurdler by the same sire as Aux Ptits Soins, Irish Saint and Sametegal. He ran three times in France in the spring, winning last time at Enghien. We like what we see from him and he should be ready to run in mid-October.
