Tag Archive for: Bravemansgame

‘He’s riding out of his skin’ – Cobden caps big week in style

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The Paul Nicholls yard have lavished praise on stable jockey Harry Cobden, who added another Grade One to his tally on Hermes Allen on Saturday to go with his King George success on Bravemansgame on Boxing Day.

Cobden chose to stick to the inside on Hermes Allen in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury, while many of his rivals elected to inspect the rest of the track for better ground.

While it would have made seemingly no difference given the ease of his win, Nicholls’ assistant Charlie Davies felt it was yet another example of just how well Cobden is currently riding.

“Harry is riding out of his skin. We were talking in the car the other day, me and Paul, and saying he has got to be one of the best jockeys riding in England today,” said Davies.

“He has really come of age this season and is a huge part of the team. We are very lucky to have him riding for us.”

As for the Gold Cup-bound Bravemansgame, a 13th King George winner for Nicholls, Davies said: “He has come out of it great. Scot’s (Marshall) delighted with him. We are really, really happy and he will hopefully go to Cheltenham with a big chance.

“It is difficult, isn’t it? People have cribbed him in the press this week about how he won’t act around Cheltenham.

“He’s been there once and didn’t perform to his top marks, but he has only been there once and is a bigger, stronger, better horse. He relaxes well, he jumps brilliantly, and I don’t think there is absolutely any reason why he wouldn’t go round there.”

Nicholls sets sights on Gold Cup next with Bravemansgame

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Paul Nicholls believes he has another genuine Gold Cup contender on his hands following Bravemansgame’s crowning moment in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Having been lukewarm on the idea of a Cheltenham challenge when his new stable star won the Charlie Hall Chase earlier in the season, the manner of his success when providing the champion trainer with a 13th win in the Christmas showpiece has forced a rethink.

He had to overcome more than three miles, eight rivals and 18 fences, too, as L’Homme Presse, backed into favouritism, repeatedly jumped out to his left, not really doing Bravemansgame any favours.

Harry Cobden was keen to give his mount space on the outside and it was not until they turned into the straight that he began to move up alongside L’Homme Presse, with two of last season’s leading novices fighting out the finish.

Bravemansgame began to assert running to the final fence and while both jumped it well, L’Homme Presse landed steep, unshipping Charlie Deutsch, allowing him the 11-4 winner come home 14 lengths clear of Royale Pagaille, a stablemate of L’Homme Presse.

“It was a hell of a race. They went a good gallop and old Frodon gave them a good lead. He stayed on strong then and showed his strengths. He is just a maturing horse and we have trained him for today,” said Nicholls.

“We will go straight to Cheltenham now and we won’t run him before the Gold Cup. Better ground helps him travel better than he did today, but he dug deep and stayed on. The other horse was a little unfortunate to lose his pilot, but he was beaten by then.

“We were very confident. Some of those bad runs in the spring you couldn’t judge him on as ours weren’t right. When he is right he is a very good horse. We knew it was him at his best today.”

Nicholls – whose Kempton roll of honour includes five memorable triumphs with dual Gold Cup hero Kauto Star – feels the stamina Bravemansgame showed close home will stand him in good stead come March, if the ground is suitable.

Bookmaker reaction regarding the Gold Cup was positive, with Betfair and Paddy Power making him 7-1 from 20-1 while Coral halved his price to 10-1.

“I loved the way he stayed on as all the way down the back he didn’t have a great passage as L’Homme Presse kept jumping across him and I would have liked to have seen it go a bit more fluent, but he came hard on the bridle and stayed on well,” Nicholls said.

“It is just fantastic. You set out to try and win these races and it is just brilliant, but you have got to have the right horse. He is a good horse but he has not been the easiest to train. We learned a few lessons about him last season but we have got him right now.

“He needs to be fresh. We have nothing to lose running him at Cheltenham, but he won’t run before. Nice ground will suit him well. It was great to see him stay on strong today.

“I was confident as I thought the track would suit him well.”

A meeting with L’Homme Presse is surely on the cards in the future and while Nicholls feels Cheltenham may suit that rival more, his horse was on top when he departed at the last.

Charlie Deutsch gets unseated from L'Homme Presse
Charlie Deutsch gets unseated from L’Homme Presse (John Walton/PA)

“L’Homme Presse was obviously going to be a danger and he is obviously going to be a very good horse and he won’t be far away in the Gold Cup where going left-handed will probably suit him better. But we got on top of him when he departed at the last and Bravemansgame galloped on to win so it is good form,” said Nicholls.

“I’m lucky enough to have the horses good enough to do it and the capability of a team that is good enough to get them right on the day.

“Horses like this find you rather than the other way. We have been lucky and we have some other lovely young horses at home. It is fantastic and I feel very lucky.

“You never dream of days like this and once you have a taste of it you never want it to go away. Last season he would never be able to do that (go three times up the hill on the gallops) now he cruises up it. Horses like that just reach that maturity. When he was five when he went to Cheltenham he was nowhere near the best physically but he is getting there.”

Bravemansgame makes it another King George to remember for Paul Nicholls

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Paul Nicholls was proved spot-on in his assertion that Bravemansgame is a tailor-made for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase as he provided him with a record 13th victory in the Boxing Day showpiece.

The seven-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on this day 12 months ago, since when a return to Kempton for the big one has been top of his agenda.

Bravemansgame had been at the top of ante-post lists for the King George for some time – but despite his comeback victory in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, he was not favourite come the off, with that honour going to Venetia Williams’ L’Homme Presse (9-4), who was out to supplement a fine weight-carrying victory in Newcastle’s Rehearsal Chase last month.

Bravemansgame’s stablemate Frodon, the King George hero of 2020, gave his usual bold sight in front for much of the three-mile journey, but began to give way turning for home and at the top of the home straight it became clear it was going to develop into a straight shootout between the big two.

L’Homme Presse held a narrow advantage approaching the third fence from the finish, but Bravemansgame (11-4) and Harry Cobden mastered him between the last two two and was in command when L’Homme Presse unseated Charlie Deutsch at the final obstacle.

In the end it was L’Homme Presse’s stablemate Royale Pagaille who finished best of the rest, some 14 lengths adrift of the brilliant winner. Frodon was third, another four and quarter lengths back.

Cobden said: “It means a lot. The last one I won was in 2018 (Clan Des Obeaux) and I definitely didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have done. It sounds a bit silly, but now I’m 23 I appreciate these big days as they don’t come around that often.

“He was a bit behind the bridle and L’Homme Presse kept jumping across us which wasn’t ideal and we were getting carried out. I didn’t want to get him amongst it. Although we went the furthest route and we were getting a bit of hassle off the other one sometimes it is best to keep it simple.

“I knew he was going to be the one to beat turning in so I thought we would get a lead off him as long as possible. I then tried to pin him down the inside a bit so he couldn’t take us right across the track.

“He is a fantastic horse and it is a great day. I was just hoping we would get over the last. He got over it and stayed on very well. Yeah (will get the Gold Cup trip), it looks like he wants it.”

Paul Nicholls (left), Harry Cobden (centre left) and owner Bryan Drew (second right)
Paul Nicholls (left), Harry Cobden (centre left) and owner Bryan Drew (second right) (John Walton/PA)

Nicholls confirmed Bravemansgame would now head straight to the Gold Cup.

He said: “It was a hell of a race. They went a good gallop and old Frodon gave them a good lead. He stayed on strong then and showed his strengths. He is just a maturing horse and we have trained him for today.

“We will go straight to Cheltenham now and we won’t run him before the Gold Cup. On better ground he travels better than he did today, but he dug deep and stayed on. The other horse was a little unfortunate to lose his pilot, but he was beaten by then.

“I’m thrilled. Who knows (what would have happened if L’Homme Presse had not come to grief at the last), but he wasn’t stopping. He just jumped to the front and he would have been hard to go by. You can never be certain, but it looked that way to me watching. I’m lucky enough to have the horses good enough to do it and the capability of a team that is good enough to get them right on the day.”

Charlie Deutsch is unseated from L'Homme Press at the final fence
Charlie Deutsch is unseated from L’Homme Press at the final fence (John Walton/PA)

Williams said of Royale Pagaille and L’Homme Presse: “It’s a shame as it looked as though they were going to be second and third, but they’ve both run very well – I’m proud of both of them today. Paul’s horse has won today but there’ll be more races in which they meet and hopefully we’ll come out on top when they do.”

Bryony Frost said of Frodon: “He never lets me down and if we’re going to go down, we go down fighting. He’s unbelievable, his stamina is much better after his wind op which really helped him.

“The way he’s jumped there is fantastic and he’s really served it up to them and he loses nothing in defeat. He’s absolutely phenomenal, we were able to get out in front and do what we do best and the younger legs have just gone by him. But he’s awesome and I can’t fault him.”

Bravemansgame leads Nicholls’ chase for 13th King George crown

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Paul Nicholls saddles a third of the field as he bids to add a remarkable 13th Ladbrokes King George VI Chase to his trophy cabinet.

The Ditcheat handler’s name is the one constant on the roll of honour for Kempton’s Boxing Day feature in modern history and the race’s most successful trainer – who has won three of the last four and saddled the second, third and fourth when drawing a blank 12 months ago – is well represented at the top of the market once again.

Headlining the Nicholls trio is Bravemansgame, who has been earmarked as a King George winner since his novice hurdling days and now gets the chance to fulfil his trainer’s prophecy following a winning return in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby.

“He looks in good shape and we have had a great preparation with him,” said the 13-times champion trainer.

“He went to the Charlie Hall and he was probably ready enough to run as he did, but he wasn’t fully wound up. He travelled well and jumped well and won nicely.

“We have done a lot with him since then as we want him ready for his life on Monday. He has had a great preparation and looks fantastic. He has got plenty of condition on him.

“He used to go a little bit light on us after Christmas, but we found out he had problems with ulcers and we are on top of that now. We have changed the feed this season which has been big plus all across the board and the horses look great.”

Joining Bravemansgame on the teamsheet is Hitman, who has always threatened to make his mark in Grade One competition and threw his hat into the ring with a bloodless victory at Haydock in November.

Trainer Paul Nicholls with his King George candidates (left to right) Frodon, Bravemansgame and Hitman during a visit to Manor Farm Stables
Trainer Paul Nicholls with his King George candidates (left to right) Frodon, Bravemansgame and Hitman during a visit to Manor Farm Stables (David Davies/PA)

Nicholls continued: “Hitman is rated 160 which is only 4lb behind Bravemansgame, which isn’t a long way. He has been placed in a Tingle Creek, Haldon Gold Cup and other Grade One races and he is only six years old.

“Clan (Des Obeaux) won the King George for the first time as a six-year-old rated 160, so he is on the right sort of lines. He was always going to improve as he got stronger and better and he has achieved a lot for a young horse.

“He ran well in the Old Roan the first time when needing the run. He ran very well at Haydock the last day, just having a canter round but he jumped brilliantly. I think three miles will bring plenty of improvement in him. You can see he is a fine, big chaser.”

It is a former King George hero that completes the Ditcheat collective, with 2020’s shock 20-1 champion Frodon out to cause another surprise in the hands of ever-willing pilot Bryony Frost – who has recovered from injury in time to continue her long association with the popular 10-year-old.

Bryony Frost riding Frodon (left) clear the last to win the King George VI Chase at Kempton in 2020
Bryony Frost riding Frodon (left) clear the last to win the King George VI Chase at Kempton in 2020 (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“He will have had a nice gap between Haydock Park and Kempton and he never stops surprising you at his age,” Nicholls added.

“Whether he has got the legs of the younger horses is debatable, but he will be there or thereabouts and he will give Bryony a fantastic ride.

“He has been there done it and got the t-shirt and he is certainly as good now as he has ever been. It would want to be a near career-best for him to win, but you never know with him.

“You have to respect him as he is a previous winner of the race, but he has got plenty to do against those younger lads as he is 10 going on 11. But look at Kauto Star – he won it as an 11-year-old.”

Disputing favouritism with Bravemansgame is Venetia Williams’ Cheltenham Festival scorer L’Homme Presse, who tuned up for this with a weight-carrying masterclass in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle.

However, Williams, who won the race in 1998 with Teeton Mill, is doubly represented in the Grade One contest with course-and-distance scorer and Cheltenham Gold Cup fifth Royale Pagaille, who is set to make his seasonal bow at the Sunbury track.

“We hoped to have him out a lot earlier than this, but he had a small setback with his wither in the middle of November so he has missed a bit of time,” said Joe Chambers, racing manager to owner Rich Ricci.

“It was either here, the Welsh National or the Rowland Meyrick and as much as we are very happy to run in a Welsh National and in handicaps off top-weight, we didn’t think three-miles-six first time up was going to be the right thing to do with a view to the rest of the season.

Royale Pagaille, here running in the Denman Chase at Newbury, has been handed an assignment in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day
Royale Pagaille, here running in the Denman Chase at Newbury, has been handed an assignment in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day (Steven Paston/PA)

“Then when you look at the King George versus the Rowland Meyrick, he is a course-and-distance winner and the prize-money goes a bit deeper, so we thought we may as well go to familiar territory and get the season started there.

“The rain is coming which will suit him, but you would love to be going into this year’s King George with conditions the way they are and the field the way it is with a run behind you, but unfortunately we don’t.

“You can’t win unless you have a ticket for the game. Hopefully he can put his best foot forward and then we can crack on from the race for the rest of the year.”

Envoi Allen is the sole Irish representative in the field as he looks to follow up Tornado Flyer’s victory for the raiders last year.

“I think it was a proper Grade One performance last time. It was a good race and it is always a hard race to win, but he did it well in the end,” said trainer Henry de Bromhead of the eight-year-old’s Down Royal victory in November.

“He has got a really high cruising speed, but it was lovely to see him run through the line like he did and it looks like three miles really does suit him.

“It is great to see him back over a more realistic trip for him. The trip was unknown at Down Royal. but it was great to see him do it as well as he did.”

Lucinda Russell’s Grade One-winning novice Ahoy Senor, Alex Hales’ Millers Bank and Joe Tizzard’s Eldorado Allen complete the line-up, with the latter runner-up in both the Charlie Hall and Betfair Chase this term.

“He seems in really good form and we’ve been chuffed with his couple of runs so far this season,” said Tizzard.

“It’s a hot King George and we would need a bit of a surprise to go and win it, but he has run well there in the past and proven he stays three miles well this year, so I see no reason why he can’t run into a place.

“He seems like he’s in good form at home and if he runs a lifetime best, he will have a nice each-way chance.”