Paul Nicholls Stable

mr.jingle

I know someone posted in another thread about Zarkandar's run being better because the Nicholl's horse's didn't seem to run well at the weekend. Can't seem to find it but anyway here's the reason why. Be wary of backing a Nicholls horse ante-post at this stage until they get the all clear;)
Courtesy of AtTheRaces.com

http://www.attheraces.com/article.aspx?hlid=522753&lid=pa+racing+feed&raceid=&title=Nicholls+acts+over+coughing&ref=atrPA+Racing+Feed&nav=news&sub=&day=Mon

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has cancelled a scheduled media visit to his yard on Wednesday with several of his horses coughing.

He was unhappy with the performance of some of his string over the weekend, and said it would be the wrong time to invite the press.

"It is fairly obvious that we had a moderate weekend. We have several horses coughing and my first priority is to the owners in my yard," said Nicholls.

"It is my duty to leave no stone unturned now as we prepare for the last three weeks before the (Cheltenham) Festival and in these circumstances, we do not feel it is appropriate to invite the media on Wednesday.

"I am very sorry for any inconvenience this causes, but I hope all concerned will understand that my horses and owners must come first."

Kauto Star is believed to be unaffected by any coughing at the moment ahead of his bid to win the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup for a third time.

Owner Clive Smith said: "I talked to Paul on Sunday night and everything is fine with Kauto Star as far as we know. Paul's got an outbreak and one or two of his horses have got it, but hopefully it won't affect Kauto Star.

"We won't know until it either comes out or if he doesn't get it. I hope he doesn't get it as it might interrupt his programme. The Gold Cup is not far away now - it's three weeks on Friday."

It may not be worthy of a thread of it's own Convert so if you would like to move it to a suitable thread then be my guest

Hulk Hands

Anyone else very underwhelmed by Nicholls festival string this year? Obviously there BB and Kauto, but they're nearly a given at this stage

hucklebuck

I mentioned that Jingle, Zarkandar was his only winner out of 30 runners.

Kauto Stone ran no sort of race and The Minack didn't appear to be travelling before he hit the deck.

I don't think Kauto Stone will win The Gold Cup, it's one thing finishing tired as a younger horse but at 12 I can't see him getting home in front.

Inspite of Saturday I think Kauto Stone can beat Rubi Light and have an inkling he will be better on quicker ground, the way he won his first race and finished so close to Sizing Europe in his second race was quite impressive to my eye for a French 6 year old.

Zarkandar could be a lot better than we saw but would have to put up a serious performance to beat Hurricane, that aside there is not much to get excited about. If Grands Crus ends up in The Gold Cup then Join Together might have a shot in the RSA but the way Mossley ran on Saturday might mean Join Together was as much flattered by Mossley than it was a good performance by Join Together.

Those aside I can't see anything else of his winning. He was talking up Dildar but the way the money has come for Minsk would suggest, as Richie says, he is a motorbike.