UP AND RUNNING
»Racecourse ready for action again,
IN-FORM trainer Paul Nicholls has suggested Cheltenham’s first meeting of the season could be a suitable starting point for two of his talented second-season chasers.
Modus and Tommy Silver are entered in Saturday’s Randox Health Handicap Chase over two miles, one of a pair of £60,000 contests on the afternoon as racing returns to Prestbury Park.
The former finished eighth in the JLT at The Festival in March after recording an odds-on hat-trick of wins, while his stablemate was third in the Grade Two Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton over Christmas.
Nicholls said: “Modus has been in good form at home and, with the ground as it is at the moment, Cheltenham on Saturday is a possibility.
“He stays further than two miles, but he likes decent ground and that’s where he could start.
“Tommy Silver’s in good form and we’ll stick to chasing again with him this year.
“He’s only a six-year-old and is still improving. He could start at Cheltenham as he’s ready to run.”
Nicholls has his string in fine form as the 2018/19 National Hunt season begins in earnest with four winners at Chepstow’s Jump Season Opener on the board, including the Grade Two Fox Family Persian War Novices’ Hurdle.
The Ditcheat yard also enjoyed a double at Kempton Park on Sunday.
Modus and Tommy Silver could face last year’s winner Foxtail Hill (Nigel Twiston-davies) and Bigmartre (Harry Whittington), a Grade Two scorer on his final start of last season.
Malaya (Masterson Holdings Hurdle) and Amour De Nuit (‘Move Over To Matchbook’ Novices’ Chase) may also represent Nicholls at Cheltenham’s first fixture for five months. “Malaya had an infection in her foot and that has put us behind slightly as we were going to novice chasing straight away,” said the trainer.
“She could start over hurdles on Saturday and then go over fences at some stage this season. “Amour De Nuit is another horse who likes fast ground, so we’re looking at The Showcase with him. “He’ll stay over fences and this meeting has been the plan.”
Saturday’s second £60,000 handicap chase is the opening Matchbook Betting Exchange’ Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong.
The weights are headed by Minella Rocco (Jonjo O’neill), runner-up to Sizing John in the 2017 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Among the 26 entries are the first three horses home in this race 12 months ago – Cogry (Nigel Twistondavies), Singlefarmpayment (Tom George) and Doing Fine (Neil Mulholland).
The three horses owned by the Cheltenham & South West region of The Jockey Club Syndicate - Hes No Trouble, Carolines Charm and Diamond River- will be paraded before racing in the paddock.
The Showcase offers record prize money of £370,400 across the two days.