Nicholls puts faith in Thomas
Speculation had risen about who would get the mount on Paul Nicholls’ star chaser in the absence of the injured Ruby Walsh, but the champion trainer has remained true to his word and stayed with his stable number two.
“I’ve booked Sam,” said Nicholls. “I said as much on Sunday and there have been all sorts of things written in the paper, but it was just a question of confirming things with the owner Clive Smith and he said he was happy with Sam.”
Thomas has ridden jump racing’s number one horse at home in Ditcheat, although on nearly every occasion on the racecourse, including the easy win in the Betfair last season, Walsh, who has a dislocated shoulder, was in the plate.
Kauto Star lost for the first time in 18 months on his seasonal reappearance in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree when Monet’s Garden fought him off, but Nicholls warned at the time he would improve significantly for the run.
Nicholls has two other entries in the race in Taranis and Denman, but neither are very likely to run. The former, recently seen landing the James Nicholson Chase at Down Royal, is set for the Betfair ’Fixed Brush’ Handicap Hurdle on the same card.
Nicholls continued: “I’m not quite sure what to do with Taranis at this stage. I will decide later in the week but he will probably run in the hurdle, as he is quite well handicapped.”
Joint-owner Harry Findlay said of Denman: “There is some heavy rain forecast for earlier in the week, but I would imagine Kauto will be all right up there on softish ground. I’m sure that’s where Kauto will be and Denman will go the week after in the Hennessy.
“If it was very soft it would be a question for Paul (whether Denman runs at Haydock) and I’m sure he would want everything in his favour before Kauto runs again.
“To be honest we haven’t even had a racecourse gallop into Denman because until Sunday we hadn’t had any rain at all, so I think a plan for Denman may be a racecourse gallop this weekend and the Hennessy the following weekend. I think it’s highly unlikely that he will run at Haydock.
“Heavy ground could change it though as it would rule a lot out but not us,” he told At The Races.
Alan King’s Arkle winner My Way De Solzen and Kauto Star’s old adversary Exotic Dancer are other entries, as is Nigel Twiston-Davies’ dual Charlie Hall winner Ollie Magern.
