Trainer, Paul Nicholls, pointing Unioniste and Cristal Bonus in the Paul Stewart IronSpine Charity Challenge Gold Cup
The entry of the Paul Nicholls’ trained, Unioniste, in the Paul Stewart IronSpine Charity Challenge Gold Cup, at the very last moment came as a pleasant surprise. The young age of the grey French gelding hardly bothers the trainer who has complete confidence
in the ability of the under charge. Paul Nicholls mentioned another four-year-old trainee who had landed a handicap chase at Newbury earlier.
The possibility of representation of the Ditcheat yard became concrete only when trainer, Ferdy Murphy, withdrew his own entry, Divers, from the line-up.
Nicholls said: "Ferdy was very helpful and we had a fair idea we might get in. I thought it was a really good performance the last day. He's got a nice, light weight.”
"I'm not worried about him being a four-year-old - another four-year-old of mine hacked up in a handicap chase at Newbury the other week. If you saw him jumping at home, you would think he was an eight-year-old. He's got plenty of experience."
Dom Alco’s gelding, Unioniste, has won once and ended third out of the two outings ever since the season took off.
He won the Betfred Still Treble Odds On Lucky 15’s Novices’ Chase on 27th October, 2012 at Aintree race course over two miles and four furlongs.
The favourite entry completed the trip in the highly capable hands of jockey, Daryl Jacob, and defeated Distime by 1 ½ lengths.
The four-year-old then held an entry in the Steel Plate And Sections Novices’ Chase on 16th November, 2012 at Cheltenham race course over two miles and 4 ½ furlongs.
There is quite a high probability that the grey gelding will deliver through the third seasonal attempt.
The trainer has secured his chances of success by taking Cristal Bonus onboard who was pleasing in his return in the Grade 2 Ladbrokes Chase at Down Royal about six weeks ago.
He said: "Cristal Bonus will love the ground and I thought he ran quite nicely last time at Down Royal."
The champion trainer missed the Hennessy and the Tingle Creek as his trainees, Tidal Bay and Sanctuaire could not make it to the winner’s enclosure. Winning this one is quite important for Kauto Star’s handler.
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