HIGH QUALITY DESTINATION
Nicholls’ chaser going places
PAUL NICHOLLS is confident Next Destination will be “in the mix” in the Grade One Betfair Chase at Haydock Park on Saturday.
The nine-year-old, a winner at the highest level over hurdles for Willie Mullins, joined the 12-time champion trainer for a novice chasing campaign last season, when victories at Newbury and Warwick were followed with a second to Galvin in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last March.
Next Destination is a 6-1 chance with the sponsor – last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup runnerup A Plus Tard is the firm’s 11-8 favourite – and Nicholls said: “He’ll be in the mix. Of course the Gold Cup second is the horse to beat, but Next Destination is a good horse.”
“He came to chasing late because he’s had problems, and I wouldn’t mind the ground a touch softer.
“But he’s only been beaten by one horse and that’s Galvin, who was a close second to [the Nicholls-trained] Frodon at Down Royal last month,” added Nicholls (left), a record six-time winner of the race.
ADDEYBB has been hit with a setback that has ruled him out of a third successive trip to Australia for the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. William
Haggas’ talented charge suffered a blood clot on his hock that became infected and saw Addeybb spending two weeks in an equine hospital.
He is now back at Haggas’ stables in Newmarket to complete his recovery. The trainer expects Addeybb to race next season, but he won’t be ready to head to Australia.
Addeybb has had a successful time the last two years there, winning the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick twice and being first and second in the Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill.
Haggas said: “I think and hope he’s going to be okay. He’s made some improvement but that’s stopped him going to Australia.”