Nicholls pleased with Brio Conti success

TRAINER Paul Nicholls will look to give Brio Conti more experience after the six-year-old made a winning debut over fences in the Compare At bookies.com Novices’ Chase at Carlisle.

Brio Conti was a smart novice hurdler last term, ending the campaign with a fifth place behind Finian’s Oscar in a Grade One contest at Aintree in April.

He was sent off the 2-5 favourite to make an immediate mark over the bigger obstacles. However, those who took those short odds did not have an easy time as Alzammaar made Brio Conti fight to get the verdict by a short head under Sean Bowen.

Nicholls said: “He just got home. Sean had to pull him back as he was a bit free.

“I’ve had a few problems with him but he will improve massively for the run as he would have needed it. I wasn’t going to run him until it cut up like it did.

“He is a proper horse and will be way better than that run. He will just get better. We may just find another smaller race with him to get some more experience.”