NICHOLLS BAGS A WIN AFTER EXILE
season,” concluded Nicholls, whose sevenyear-old will lock horns with Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs on March 16.
Stablemates Clan Des Obeaux and Hitman met with defeat later on the card, but he added: “They got beat because they weren’t good enough.”
Eldorado Allen saw off Royale Pagaille for the Grade 2 Denman Chase over three miles – in which Clan Des Obeaux came home in third – and the winner will step back in distance for Cheltenham’s Ryanair Chase.
“We were happy to see the winning post,” said Eldorado Allen’s trainer Colin Tizzard.
Hitman also took the bronze as Funambule
Sivola contained reigning champion Sceau Royal for the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase to earn a crack at Shishkin and Energumene in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the National Hunt Festival.
Herefordshire trainer Tom Lacey will aim Glory And Fortune at the Unibet Champion Hurdle after the 20-1 chance gave Stan Sheppard another big prize of a breakthrough season in the Betfair Hurdle. ■■EDWARDSTONE is as short as 7-4 at the head of the betting for Cheltenham’s Arkle Challenge Trophy after success in the Grade 2 Virgin Bet Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick.
PAUL NICHOLLS came out fighting after he witnessed Bravemansgame rack up a fencing four-timer – earning a 2-1 quote for Cheltenham’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
A return of eight winners from 79 runners – an uncharacteristically modest strike-rate – in 2022 prompted the 12-time champion trainer to go into self-imposed exile after
Greaneteen’s last of five at Leopardstown’s Dublin
Racing Festival last Sunday.
Bravemansgame was the Ditcheat stable’s first horse back in action six days on, and carried top weight to victory under Harry Cobden in Newbury’s Betfair If we hadn’t had Cheltenham a winner today Roarcast I’d be pulling my Novices’ hair out Handicap Chase.
“I used to worry about some of the things I read now, I just laugh,” said Nicholls. “If you look at the trainers’ table – and everyone else’s strike-rate – we have actually done bloody well.
“The biggest problem we’ve had is that we’ve had a 29 per cent strike-rate all season and all of a sudden it has dropped to 23 per cent – we made a rod for our own backs.
“If we hadn’t had a winner today, I’d have been pulling my hair out, but I was thrilled with that.
“Bravemansgame is a proper horse and we’ll be aiming him at King Georges and Gold Cups next