Paul Nicholls’ stable tour came out in the Racing Post this week and he’s confident that his yard can have a big season. Caldwell Potter’s injury is a huge blow but there are plenty of other nice horses at Ditcheat. We’ve selected three horses to watch, who Nicholls has been particularly bullish about. Check out our free tips page for daily content across British and Irish racing.
This mare was very useful last season, winning a couple of Listed events, including when upped in trip at Cheltenham in April. The trainer said: “She’s one to follow, not a shadow of a doubt. She’s a smart mare and there’s a lot more to come from her. She’s done very well physically and looks a lot stronger than this time last year. There’s loads of options for her with stacks of valuable mares’ races in the programme nowadays, and I won’t have any hesitation to try her against the geldings at some stage.”
Kalif du Berlais won the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase as a five-year-old in April and really could be anything. Nicholls said: “I’m training him as a prospective Champion Chase horse; in terms of potential, he’d be right up with the best two-mile chasers I have trained. Physically, he’s improved immensely over the summer and is as imposing a specimen as you are ever likely to come across. He’s always been the apple of my eye and the sky’s the limit for him.”
He took a little while to get the hang of things last season but ran very well at Aintree last time out. Chasing is on the agenda and his trainer said: “He possesses so much potential and I hope he’s going to leave his hurdles form well behind now he goes chasing. If he improves as much as I think he can he’ll be very exciting. The signs are looking good: he has grown up over the summer and seems much more settled in his work at home.”
If you back any of our selections you can watch them live on the free Racing Post app or racingpost.com. Simply log in to one of your bookmaker accounts and click ‘Watch live’ on the racecards.