Further success is expected as Nichols Canyon steps up
NICHOLS CANYON can continue the good work for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh by landing today’s Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle on day two of the Cheltenham Festival (1.30pm).
But for unseating Walsh at Leopardstown in December, Nichols Canyon would most likely be unbeaten over hurdles with the former John Gosden inmate bidding to make it four wins from five runs tomorrow.
And other than the Mullins and Walsh factor, there are three other big reasons for fancying his chances. Firstly is the fact that Nichols Canyon comes out best on the figures tomorrow with an official rating of 149 – with the 148-rated Parlour Games appearing his biggest danger on the form book.
But it doesn’t look a vintage Neptune with only 10 runners and it is the confidence of Mullins that sways the deal.
Mullins has compared Nichols Canyon to Hurricane Fly no less, admitting “he could be that horse” and the Graham Wylieowned hurdler makes plenty of appeal at 4-1.
Mullins and Walsh must also have every chance of landing the following RSA Chase (2.05pm) with Don Poli, who won at the Festival last year and might be able to pick off the front running Kings Palace.
But the card’s highlight is the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at 3.20pm in which Dodging Bullets could be good value at 5-1 to beat former winners of the race Sprinter Sacre and Sire De Grugy.
Dodging Bullets beat Sprinter Sacre by three lengths in the Sodexo Clarence House Chase at Ascot last time and there was no fluke about it.
Sprinter Sacre was admittedly coming back from a long layoff and will probably benefit enormously from the run, but he is nine-years-old and seven-yearold Dodging Bullets may be open to more improvement.
Sire De Grugy’s woeful performance two runs ago is too fresh in the memory for him to be recommended and Dodging Bullets looks a nice price for Paul Nicholls and Sam TwistonDavies.
Tomorrow’s other races are wide open but the Nichollstrained French recruit Aux Ptits Soins could be well handicapped in the Coral Cup (2.40pm). Duke Of Lucca – favourite when falling last time – is put forward in the Cross Country race (4pm), while Hostile Fire looks good for the Fred Winter (4.40pm).
Day two finishes with the Champion Bumper in which the advice is to back whichever horse shortens the most in the betting with the Mullins-trained Pylonthepressure the early suggestion (5.15pm).