It is a sign of how securely Paul Nicholls now sits at the top of British jump racing that for the first time in at least three years he is offering no protests about how hard it will be to win the champion trainer’s title this winter. Guests at the annual owners’ day at his Somerset stables on Sunday saw 82 of his charges parade and were left to reflect that that represents only two-thirds of Nicholls’ total strength.
Now 53, the trainer reckons his collection of horses is better than it was last season and, thanks to a new circular gallop installed late last autumn, he believes they are also fitter. If the truth of that is borne out, his rivals are facing a thin time of it because Nicholls dominated last season, salting away £3.2m in prize money while no one else made it to £2m. There was a run of 21 consecutive Saturdays when he had at least one winner, stretching through almost the entire core jumps season.
He is within touching distance of two landmark achievements. Bookmakers offer no bigger than 1-4 about him becoming champion for the 10th time, while Nicholls reports that his career total of jumps winners in all countries is now just eight short of 2,500. Granted his usual level of success for the time of year, he will reach that figure next month.
The crumpled leaf in his bed of roses is the distinct possibility that he may lack a credible challenger for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March. Silviniaco Conti has been fancied for the race for the last three years but, rather than risk further frustration, Nicholls is minded to find an alternative target for him next spring.
Saphir Du Rheu, a strapping grey, is the great young hope. “If we have a Gold Cup horse in the yard, it’s him,” Nicholls told his guests. “Whether it’s this year or next year, I don’t know.”
The trainer is bound to be cautious about a horse with only four starts over fences, especially as he finished two of those without his jockey. “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.”
It has also crossed Nicholls’ mind that a Gold Cup featuring Vautour, Don Cossack, Coneygree and Don Poli will be very hot indeed. “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.”
Saphir Du Rheu will be aimed first at Newbury’s Hennessy Gold Cup, possibly by way of a graduation chase.
The hope had been to run Silviniaco Conti at Down Royal in late October but Nicholls now feels that will come too soon. “He’s had problems with sarcoids that he’s been treated for and he’s not got over it as quick as all that. We’ll get him in the form of his life for the Betfair Chase in late November.”
Sarcoids are skin tumours resembling warts, considered to be a form of skin cancer by some vets. Nicholls says Silviniaco Conti has had them since before he arrived in this yard five years ago and that they have not affected his general health but have now become an annoyance to the chestnut.
“One was right where his girth was getting him and one was on his chest, just irritating him. I said to the owners, if we don’t sort them out now, it might just be troublesome this year. So we dealt with it.
“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.”
Thanks to the success enjoyed by Sam Twiston-Davies last season Nicholls approaches the winter with a settled and established principal jockey for the first time since Ruby Walsh left in 2013, which is a considerable source of comfort. “It’s different class now. Having Sam now is like the days when I had Ruby there. He’s so good, he’s so improved and everybody likes him. It makes it so much easier.”
