- Paul Nicholls has 12 horses in action on Boxing Day – including Bravemansgame
- Nicolls says Bravemansgame is in great shape and seems back to his very best
Top trainer Paul Nicholls has 12 horses in action on Boxing Day, including Bravemansgame at 14:30 at Kempton, ridden by Harry Cobden.
Other Nicholls-trained horses in action are Outlaw Peter, Jackpot d’Athou, It’s a Breeze among others at Aintree and Wincanton throughout the day.
Here, Betfair ambassador Nicholls goes through 12 of his horses set to ride on Tuesday.
Paul Nicholls goes through 12 of his horses in action on Boxing Day including Bravemansgame
Kempton
12:45 – Outlaw Peter
You can put a line through his last run at Ludlow when he wasn’t right and never picked up the bridle after getting kicked at the start. In hindsight we should have withdrawn him because he was very sore for a week afterwards. Two and a half miles on good ground at Kempton is ideal for Outlaw Peter who is fine now and won comfortably on his chasing debut at Newton Abbot. He was so consistent last season, was always going make a better chaser and I fancy him to bounce back at a track that plays to his strengths.
13:20 – Hermes Allen
I was thrilled with his debut over fences at Newbury when he was foot perfect and won decisively. He had a little setback a few weeks earlier, so was bound to have improved for the run and is a lot sharper and fitter now. Three miles at Kempton on good ground should be perfect for Hermes Allen who is in top order, was a leading novice over hurdles and won his only Point-to-Point in Ireland. There is a lot of talk about the French raider Il Est Francais who faces a big challenge going right-handed on good ground having spent his life racing left handed on heavy ground. We’ll see.
13:55 – Rubaud
He is going to be an awesome chaser next season but his form over hurdles is so progressive he deserves a shot at this Grade 1 prize. While he has won his last four starts I realise he probably faces an impossible task against the champion hurdler Constitution Hill but we are giving it a go and if he finishes second we will be delighted.
14:30 – Bravemansgame
He looks in great shape and seems to be right back to his very best. He has worked brilliantly on the last two Saturdays and schooled very well in midweek. People forget that decent ground is massively important to him and it was very soft when he was outstayed by Royal Pagaille at Haydock last time. The drying ground is ideal for Bravemansgame who is the defending champion and is unbeaten over fences at Kempton. It will be like a home fixture and I think he has a great chance.
Bravemansgame – ridden by Harry Cobden – looks in great shape and seems back to his best
14:30 – Frodon
He is deservedly a legend, won this race in 2020, was third behind Bravemansgame a year ago and has come on bundles since Wincanton where he ran very well to be third under top weight of twelve stone in the Badger Beer Chase despite rain turning the ground against him. Although Frodon’s a huge price and is not getting any younger he seems to have been blooming in the past fortnight. I’m sure he will run another big race.
15:05 – Onethreefivenotout
He is quite fragile, hasn’t been the easiest to train and given that he is seven is still very lightly raced. So I was very pleased with his run when narrowly beaten at Wincanton a fortnight ago with the rest a long way behind. He has plenty of an ability and I’m hoping he can start to make up for lost time at Kempton provided there is a nice bit of cut in the ground.
15:40 – Emailandy
He is going the right way and won pleasingly at Plumpton before running tidily when third at Newbury last time. He doesn’t look too badly treated in his first handicap racing off a mark of 127.
Aintree
13:05 – Jackpot d’Athou
He won very impressively last time at Chepstow but is in much deeper waters in this Grade 1 race which is obviously a big step up in class for him. The more it rains before Tuesday at Aintree the better it will suit him.
14:50 – Tahmuras
We have done a lot of schooling with Tahmuras since he was undeniably disappointing on chasing debut at Chepstow when he didn’t really have a cut at his fences. We are also putting on cheekpieces to sharpen him up. We need to see him back on track and at his best he would be be competitive in this.
Tahmuras races in the 14:50 at Aintree and will be hoping to improve on his disppointing chasin debut at Chepstow
15:25 – Farland
A newcomer to the yard this season he made an eye-catching debut when finishing fourth in a valuable bumper at Punchestown in April despite looking a bit green. He is still a shade backward and has been something of a challenge ahead of this first start for us in another bumper. He is a nice prospect and wears a hood as he can be quite keen. Whatever he does at Aintree he will improve mentally for the experience.
Wincanton
15:13 – Sabrina
She’s a tough, consistent mare with a willing attitude, stays well, and will be suited by the trip of three miles. She ran very well on her seasonal debut in a Listed event at Kempton a month ago when she just needed the race and has improved for the outing. She runs at Wincanton rather than a day later at Kempton where the forecast rain would not have been in her favour. Decent chance with Freddie Gingell claiming a handy 5lbs.
15:45 – It’s A Breeze
He’s an interesting prospect by Walk In The Park from a good family and his half sister Impervious won the mares’ Chase this year at the Cheltenham Festival and is now rated 158. It’s A Breeze has taken a bit of time to come to hand but we do like him and he has been working with a group of our bumper horses that have all been winning.
Best chance. Bravemansgame. 14:30. Kempton.
He is in top order and has every chance of recording another success in a race I love to target.
