Paul Nicholls has plans laid down for success in the Racing Post Hurdle at Cheltenham
Paul Nicholls has had a reason to celebrate ever since the 2012 National Hunt season took off. The genius trainer cracked open the hurdle and chase campaign with retiring the ace of his stable, Kauto Star. The most recent prize money that the stable got
injected with was of the Grade 2 totepool.com Elite Hurdle at Wincanton. Out of his three entries, Prospect Wells, Escort ‘Men and Zarkandar, the one mentioned in the end became the source of pride for the trainer.
The first two positions went to the same connections as the favourite entry of the race, Prospect Wells, ended at the mark of a neck right behind his stable mate who was riding with jockey, Daryl Jacob.
Steve Gollings trained, Local Hero, who was being eyed as the most threatening rival could not do much as he finished fourth in the field of seven.
After the unexpected second position of the seven-year-old, Sadler’s Wells’ bay gelding is being now pointed for the Grade 3 Racing Post Hurdle (Handicap). It is one of the feature races of the five-day meeting at Cheltenham. It will be raced over two miles
and 110 yards on Sunday, 18th November.
The highly accomplished trainer is once again securing his grounds by sending in three rivals for the line-up to bring down, but their names are yet to be decided. What he has in mind right now are, Prospect Wells, Ted Spread and Dark Lover. Each of them
is unique in their own way, but their confirmed participation in the event is awaited.
About the runner-up of the Elite Hurdle, the trainer said:
“The way Saturday's race was run at a steady pace didn't suit him but he still ran a nice race and if he had jumped the last better it would have been close with Zarkandar.
“He wants a fast-run competitive race and the Racing Post Hurdle might suit him. But I will see how he is at the end of the week before deciding.”
Nicholls added: “Dark Lover won off 120 and is now rated 131 so it will be a different ball game for him but he could be improving.”
Not that the other options are any less reliable but, the seven-year-old bay gelding, Dark Lover, is unbeaten in all the hurdle attempts in the career.
They will find competition in the form of Nicky Henderson trained, Darlan and Une Artiste.
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