Paul Nicholls: Ben Linfoot's view

Cheltenham Festival Specials Cheltenham Specials: Silviniaco Conti to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup by 5 lengths or more 8/1

Wind-Ups and Wind Ops

As wind-ups go, Paul Nicholls opening gambit at his Cheltenham Festival media day wasnt the best one ever. Breaking news. Ive actually supplemented Rocky Creek for the Cheltenham Gold Cup this morning, as the handicapper has put him up 9lb after winning on Saturday. Well run in the Gold Cup before running in the National at Aintree. Pause, a few chuckles, one or two puzzled looks. No, that is a wind-up, confirms Paul, the old tease. Still, it was too late for one eager beaver who had already tweeted the news (maybe thats why there is the odd social media embargo at these things). If Nicholls isnt very good at wind-ups, he is very good at wind ops and there were at least two horses paraded in front of the assembled press that have benefitted from a tweak in the breathing department; Vibrato Valtat and Calipto. The latter horse is an interesting one for the Vincent OBrien County Handicap Hurdle on the final day of the Festival and his position in the market (as favourite) is understandable. He was operated on after he 'made a noise' at Cheltenham in October and shaped with much promise in the Betfair Hurdle on his return at Newbury last month. That race wasnt run to suit as nothing got into it from off the pace, but he did run on well for fourth and could still be well treated off 143. Not dissimilar in profile to last years County Hurdle winner Lac Fontana, his position in the handicap, relative to his Irish-trained market rivals, will be one of the major talking points at Wednesdays weights release.

Cut To The Chase

Its nice to have all these good chasers back again, says Nicholls, with genuine affection, as he gazes at the back end of Southfield Theatre making his way back to his box. And good chasers is an understatement looking at the betting for all the top races over fences at this years Festival. The Arkle second-favourite, the Champion Chase third and fifth-favourites, the JLT second-favourite, the RSA Chase fourth-favourite and the Gold Cup favourite are all trained at Ditcheat, which means its a very short price that Nicholls has a winner over fences at Cheltenham next month. Nothing new there you might think, but you have to go back to the 2009 Cheltenham Gold Cup and Kauto Star for the last winner Nicholls had over fences at the Festival. Thats 72 races over fences at the Festival ago. Its taken time since that golden era of Kauto and Denman and Master Minded for Nicholls to build up his team again, and, make no mistake, chasing is Nicholls bread and butter. While Willie Mullins seems to thrive on bringing through novice hurdlers, staying chasers is what Nicholls does, as four Gold Cups testifies. It would be nice to win it for a fifth time, says Nicholls, whose bullishness over the prospects of Silviniaco Conti in the blue riband is infectious. We had a few years without any [Gold Cup chances] after Denman and Kauto but weve got a nice lot of chasers again now. And Conti is the best hes ever been. On form hes the one they all have to beat.

Natural Selection

Paul Nicholls hasnt counted exactly how many horses hell be taking to Cheltenham this year, but its going to be significantly less than usual by design. We might have around 25 or something this year where as we had 36 or so last year, he says, noting how light he is in the novice hurdling department. No runners in the Sky Bet Supreme, no runners in the Neptune, no runners in the Albert Bartlett and no runners in the Triumph. With all the ones that Willies got Im better off waiting for Aintree with mine, Nicholls says, only half-jokingly. Vago Collonges ran really well at Kempton on Saturday and hes one of my better novices but well wait for Aintree with him. All Yours will wait for Aintree too. Im a bit light on novice hurdlers and you can waste a run at Cheltenham, theres so much good prize money on offer at Liverpool now. Its pointless, weve learnt the last couple of years weve run too many at Cheltenham that didnt have chances.

Sammy the champion of the world?

The Sam Twiston-Davies-Paul Nicholls partnership has had its fair share of ups and downs already in their brief but successful time together, but their relationship seems to be getting stronger by the week. Nicholls has admitted lessons were learnt after losers that shouldve been winners earlier in the season (Vibrato Valtat and Zarkandar), yet he was full of praise for Twiston-Davies following his victory aboard Rocky Creek in the BetBright Chase at Kempton on Saturday. His ride on Rocky Creek was one of the best hes given us, hes improving all the time. He was an investment for the future and if I hadnt gone for him then hed have gone somewhere else. It was a very good move and everybodys happy. With Nicholls confirming he and Twiston-Davies are in it for the long haul, talk turned to who will replace AP McCoy as champion in the coming seasons. And Nicholls was quick to state the case for his stable jockey. Hes got to be up there in the running. Him and Scu [Tom Scudamore] are ten winners behind Richard Johnson at the moment so that says it all and with Aidan Coleman as well there are some good jockeys out there, it will be interesting. It wont be quite the same without AP but things move on. Sams done amazingly well, hes won more prize money than any other jockey this season and Saturday he reached 2million in prize money - really quickly from 90 winners, which says how well hes been doing. Ive always thought he will be a champion jockey one day and I havent wavered from that at all. Im going to help him, his dads going to help him but hes probably going to need some help from elsewhere too. Its all about the numbers. Prize money wise hes there, but if he could just get a few more outside rides hell ride more winners and more outside rides are going to be there for the taking now.

Le Cheval Noir

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Paul Nicholls: Ben Linfoot's view