Tag Archive for: Paul Nicholls

Bravemansgame and Hermes Allen straight to Cheltenham, confirms Nicholls

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Paul Nicholls has confirmed both Bravemansgame and Hermes Allen will head straight to the Cheltenham Festival after their successes over the festive period.

Bravemansgame provided the champion trainer with a 13th success in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, prevailing by 14 lengths under Harry Cobden having started at 11-4.

The Gold Cup is the next port of call and there will be no more stopping points, as Nicholls intends to arrive at Prestbury Park in March with the horse fully fresh.

“Bravemansgame came out of the race really well, he used to take his races quite hard but I’d say he’s hardly lost a kilo this time and he looks great already,” he told Betfair.

“I don’t need to prove anything with him, he’s best when he’s fresh and very fit.

Hermes Allen looked a real star in the making at Newbury
Hermes Allen looked a real star in the making at Newbury (Nigel French/PA)

“We’re not going to make the same mistake as last year and run him between now and Cheltenham, we’ll get him in the form of his life and go straight to the Gold Cup.”

The same plan of action applies to Hermes Allen, who was a taking winner of the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury on New Year’s Eve and will now be prepared for the Ballymore.

“Hermes Allen, what is the point of running him?” Nicholls said.

“If we look after him he could go on to Cheltenham and then either Aintree or Punchestown.

“He’s in great shape, he’s come out of the race well and he’ll go straight to the Ballymore.”

‘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.”

Hermes Allen all class in dominant Challow display

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Hermes Allen was a very easy winner of the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury, to give Paul Nicholls a third successive victory in the Grade One feature.

Following on from Bravemansgame and Stage Star, Hermes Allen had to prove he could handle deep ground on this occasion.

On paper at least, this year’s renewal looked as strong as any in recent memory – but Hermes Allen – who is co-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson – proved in a different league to all of his rivals.

Dan Skelton’s Vicki Vale tried to stretch the field and turning for home it looked as if she may have slipped them.

But a confident Harry Cobden stuck to the inside and as soon as Vicki Vale began to tire, Hermes Allen (11-10 favourite) was quickly left in the lead.

You Wear It Well fared best of the remainder with Jamie Snowden’s mare plugging on for second, but Cobden did not have to move a muscle on the impressive scorer.

He is now as short as 3-1 favourite for the Ballymore at Cheltenham with Coral.

Nicholls, winning the race for a fifth time in all – including with Denman in 2006 – was not on course as he was celebrating his landlord Paul Barber’s 80th birthday.

Speaking from Ditcheat he said: “I’m obviously thrilled with that.

Harry Cobden is all smiles as he returns on Hermes Allen
Harry Cobden is all smiles as he returns on Hermes Allen (Nigel French/PA)

“I was worried about the ground and the lads asked me what I wanted to do and I just said we didn’t know that he didn’t go on it so we had to kick on. As Harry said afterwards good horses go on any ground, he’s now won on quick ground and that ground.

“He’s not slow. He had been slow at home, but he’s waking up mentally and physically. He’s got it all really, he’s got everything you want in a good horse.”

Hermes Allen cost £350,000 after winning an Irish point in November 2021, but did not make his debut for Nicholls until October at Stratford.

“I promise you, the reason we went to Stratford first time out is because he’d shown us absolutely nothing at home,” said Nicholls.

“I thought it could have been embarrassing, but then he went and bolted in. That’s often the way with backward horses. We wanted to run him in the spring after we bought him, but he was so backward I didn’t want to embarrass anyone.

“I just kept saying we had to wait and now he’s maturing. Time never does these good horses any harm.

“I suspect we’ll go straight to Cheltenham now. There’s no real need to run him again, but the only option is the trial race in a month and then you have a nice gap until the Festival or you just go straight there. We’ll all have a chat.

“I don’t want to go to the well too often as he’ll have had a hard race on that ground today.”

Cobden said: “The way he goes through the race, he travels sweetly, so he is easy to ride. He jumps well. He is a very relaxed, rideable horse.

Hermes Allen gallops on relentlessly
Hermes Allen gallops on relentlessly (Nigel French/PA)

“Just going round this bend (in front of the stands), I took back off of him a little bit and then obviously turning in I tried to hug the inside as much as possible, as I don’t know if there is any better ground anywhere else around here. He is just a very good horse, isn’t he?

“He is the sort of mover that would suggest he would want better ground, but good ones will go through anything won’t they?

“All day, the ground has got worse and worse and worse. We took the right call and we’ve obviously got a good one on our hands.”

Also a co-owner is John Hales, who said: “We paid a lot of money for him and when he went to Paul Nicholls, Paul said ‘Look, I’m sorry, he isn’t showing anything’.

“I thought ‘Oh my God’, having talked Ged (Mason) and Alex into buying him. Then Paul said ‘He ain’t very big, either, you know, John’.

“So the race came at Stratford and Bryony Frost was on him. I said to her ‘If it’s our day, you can win – and you can get the critics off my back’. So she jumped off him and won, then she said ‘Have I won by enough?’. She won all right – by 28 lengths and he hasn’t looked back since!”

Thunder Rock and Monmiral poised for Cheltenham showdown

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Olly Murphy expects to have a clearer idea about Thunder Rock’s potential ambitions for the rest of the season after he takes on Monmiral at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Monmiral is the likely favourite for a Grade Two contest more commonly known as ‘The Dipper’, having won at Grade One level over hurdles and finished best of the rest behind star novice Jonbon on his chasing debut at Warwick in November.

Thunder Rock, on the other hand, has climbed the ranks through handicaps, but has been seriously impressive in winning his two starts over fences to date at Uttoxeter and Ascot.

The assessor has him rated 2lb higher than Monmiral ahead of their clash in the Paddy Power Novices’ Chase, and Murphy is looking forward to seeing how he fares in this higher grade.

He said: “Thunder Rock is a lovely horse and has taken very well to fences. He was a good hurdler last season but we thought he would improve for a fence, which he has done in his two starts this season.

“This trip will suit him perfectly and he appears to be on an upward curve, but we will know where we stand after this. He is a horse that we think plenty of and he already has a mark of 150.

“I thought he would improve going chasing but you never know how much they will improve. The handicapper has him a stone better over fences.

“If he wins I would think he would then head to Sandown Park for the Scilly Isles. If not, we will make alternative arrangements.”

He added: “We had him in the Wayward Lad at Kempton, but we all thought in the end that two miles around there might just be on the sharp side for him. Hopefully we have made the right decision.”

Monmiral alongside Jonbon at Warwick
Monmiral alongside Jonbon at Warwick (David Davies/PA)

Nicholls is confident Monmiral will improve from his initial effort over fences and prove hard to beat.

“His jumping was very good on his debut over fences when he chased home Jonbon over two miles at Warwick in November last month,” the Ditcheat handler told Betfair.

“This race was the ideal choice for Monmiral with softer ground and and the step up in trip to two and a half miles very much in his favour. He is a high-class horse who has plenty going for him.”

Nigel Twiston-Davies saddles Beauport – winner of the Coral Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle before being put in his place by Dan Skelton’s Ballygrifincottage at Haydock.

Patrick Neville’s course winner The Real Whacker returns to the Cotswolds, while Harper’s Brook has his sights raised by Ben Pauling following victory in a novice handicap chase at Bangor.

Pauling said: “It is a big step up, but we’ll see how we get on.

“I think the better the race the better he’ll run. He jumps well, he travels well and we’re looking forward to it.

“It would be lovely if we got some rain. He will handle good to soft ground, but if we had a bit more rain it would suit him.”

Fergal O’Brien’s outsider Mortlach completes the field.

Nicholls relies on Hermes Allen for Challow hat-trick

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Paul Nicholls is poised to unleash Hermes Allen on Newbury as he attempts to win the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle for the third year in a row.

The champion trainer has targeted the race with some of his stable’s finest talent over the years, with Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Denman landing the spoils in 2006 and recent King George VI Chase victor Bravemansgame scoring two years ago.

Stage Star made it back-to-back victories for the Ditcheat handler 12 months ago and now he looks for his fifth win overall in the Grade One contest with the unbeaten Hermes Allen.

The five-year-old, who cost £350,000 following a victory between the flags at Kirkistown, bolted up by 27 lengths on his debut at Stratford and added to his tally in emphatic style at Cheltenham in November, making all for a nine-length victory in a competitive-looking Grade Two contest.

“He looks to have a decent chance of completing the hat-trick for the yard in this Grade One race following the success of Bravemansgame in 2020 and Stage Star last year. Like them, Hermes Allen is on an upward curve having won both his starts for us from the front,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“He surprised me a bit by winning easily on his debut at Stratford as he hadn’t shown much at home but he has sharpened up no end since then, was impressive in a stronger race at Cheltenham and has improved a fair bit since.

“Hermes Allen schooled on Thursday morning and is in great shape. While this is the slowest ground he has raced on this season, it’s encouraging that he handled soft going in his point-to-points.”

Paul Nolan’s Joyeux Machin looks the pick of two Irish raiders in the 14-strong field. The form of his hurdling debut got a boost at Naas recently and he followed up that opening third with a taking display to get off the mark over obstacles at Fairyhouse. Kansas City Star was third on that occasion and also crosses the Irish Sea for Gordon Elliott.

Dan Skelton saddled West Balboa to finish second in the race 12 months ago and attempts to go one better for the same connections with Vicki Vale, who was a ready 17-length winner on her rules debut at Hereford.

“She’s definitely got a chance and she won very easily for us first time,” said Skelton.

“I’ve always had it in mind to step her up in grade and obviously this is a massive step up. But we were second in the race with West Balboa for the same owners last year and we thought why not have a go.

“She gets 7lb from the boys and is in very good form and we’ll go there optimistic of a very good run. I’m not saying she’ll win, but she will run really well. It’s a very, very tough race, but she’s in great form.”

David Pipe’s Thomas Mor was an emphatic 57-length scorer at Wincanton when last sighted.

“It looks a very hot race, but he has done nothing wrong so far,” said the Pond House handler.

“It is a step up in grade, but he deserves to take his chance and we’ll find out a lot more about him.

“His races so far have probably not been the strongest, but he deserves to have a go at it and he wouldn’t want the ground too soft, so it should be OK for him at Newbury.”

Fergal O’Brien won this with Poetic Rhythm in 2017 and looks to follow the same path with Persian War winner Accidental Rebel, while the Ravenswell Farm handler is also represented by the unbeaten Crambo and hat-trick-seeking Marble Sands.

Another handler who is well represented is Jamie Snowden, who saddles the four-timer seeking You Wear It Well and £185,000 Irish recruit Passing Well, who made a bright start to life in the UK when winning at Uttoxeter.

“You Wear It Well has done very little wrong in her career really,” said Snowden.

“She finished second in a bumper, won a bumper and has then won two hurdles. She was going to go to the Listed mares’ race at Haydock that was called off a few weeks ago, but this looks the obvious alternative.

Trainer Jamie Snowden saddles two in the Coral Challow Novices' Hurdle
Trainer Jamie Snowden saddles two in the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle (Mike Egerton/PA)

“It is a very competitive race and she has got to step forward once again, but she gets a 7lb allowance for her sex and she’s very unexposed. We’ll find out how good she is here.”

He continued: “Passing Well finished second at the Punchestown Festival in a bumper in the spring before coming over to us in the summer and won very nicely first time out at Uttoxeter.

“He’s definitely going to want a trip and he’s a lovely straightforward individual who jumps well and gallops well. He goes there with a chance but it’s a highly competitive race.”

Idalko Bihou (Nigel Twiston-Davies), Kilbeg King (Anthony Honeyball) and Moka De Vassey (Jane Williams) complete the line-up.

Joyeux Machin ready to step up in Challow challenge

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Joyeux Machin will carry Irish hopes against red-hot favourite Hermes Allen in the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday.

Hermes Allen is all the rage to provide trainer Paul Nicholls with a fifth victory in the Grade One contest, having previously struck gold with Cornish Rebel (2003), Denman (2006), Bravemansgame (2020), and Stage Star (2021).

A £350,000 purchase from the Irish point-to-point field, Hermes Allen won by 27 lengths on his hurdling debut at Stratford before following up in a Grade Two at Cheltenham last month.

The Paul Nolan-trained Joyeux Machin, who chased home potential superstar Facile Vega last Christmas before going one better in a bumper at Navan in January, could only finish third on his hurdling debut at Wexford in October – but upped his game to open his account at Fairyhouse four weeks ago.

Nolan appreciates his charge faces a far stiffer task this weekend, but is hopeful the step up from two to an extended two and a half miles will bring about further improvement.

He said: “Hopefully they won’t get as much rain as forecast – the less rain there is the better for us. We’ve committed to going now, so on we go and hopefully we can have a good run.

“He went to the line well in Fairyhouse. I think the way he went to the line over two means the step up in trip won’t be an inconvenience anyway.

“He had a hold-up before Wexford and with the ground being a little bit good, we couldn’t really get a gallop in on grass. We thought he’d improve from there to Fairyhouse and hopefully he has the potential to improve again – he’ll have to.”

Attacca (right) on his way to winning at Cheltenham
Attacca (right) on his way to winning at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

Hermes Allen and Joyeux Machin are just two of 14 runners declared, with Dan Skelton’s 17-length Hereford scorer Vicki Vale and Nicky Henderson’s dual winner Attacca two other leading contenders.

Crambo puts his unbeaten record on the line for Fergal O’Brien, who also saddles the experienced Accidental Rebel as well as Marble Sands, while Thomas Mor is two from two for David Pipe.

Joyeux Machin is joined on the trip across the Irish Sea by Gordon Elliott’s Kansas City Star, while the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Idalko Bihoue and You Wear It Well from Jamie Snowden’s yard also merit consideration.

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.”

McFabulous chance of another Kauto Star success for Nicholls

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McFabulous and Gelino Bello give Paul Nicholls the ace hand in his bid for a record sixth victory in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton.

The Ditcheat handler is currently tied with Nicky Henderson in a race he won most recently with King George favourite Bravemansgame 12 months ago, and appears intent on adding to his tally.

As the choice of stable jockey Harry Cobden, McFabulous is the favourite for this year’s renewal, having claimed a second win over fences in impressive style at Newbury last month.

Bryony Frost is called up to partner his stablemate Gelino Bello, who was a Grade One winner over hurdles at Aintree in the spring and is two from two since being sent over the larger obstacles.

Nicholls told Betfair: “He doesn’t mind a bit of cut in the ground, he just doesn’t want deep, heavy ground on a stiff track. He’ll be fine, a small field suits him and he’s improved massively for jumping fences.

“He looks fantastic, the best shape he’s been in and he’s probably the one to beat.

“Gelino Bello is a very smart horse, he’s won his last four but lacks a bit of experience as he’s only been in small fields, so we thought we’d let him take his chance and it will put him in good stead win, lose or draw for the spring.

“You can’t rule the others out, it’s a good race.”

Thyme Hill has a point to prove
Thyme Hill has a point to prove (David Davies/PA)

The clear threat to the Nicholls pair is the Philip Hobbs-trained Thyme Hill.

The top-class staying hurdler was six and a half lengths behind McFabulous at Newbury, however, prompting connections to reach for the cheekpieces ahead of the rematch.

Nicholls’ former protege Dan Skelton is represented by exciting mare Galia Des Liteaux, with Fergal O’Brien’s Mortlach completing the quintet.