Nicholls planning strong Tingle Creek challenge

Paul Nicholls reports Azertyuiop, Le Roi Miguel and Cenkos all to be on target for the Tingle Creek Trophy at Sandown next month.

The trio were among the two-mile stars of last season with Azertyuiop and Le Roi Miguel leading novices while Cenkos was third in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Azertyuiop made his seasonal reappearance at Exeter last week in the Haldon Gold Cup but he got no further than the first fence where he parted company with rider Mick Fitzgerald.

Nicholls said: “Obviously we’d have known a lot more if he’d have stayed on his feet on Tuesday. But the ground was greasy, he slipped and it was just one of those things.

“Hopefully he will have learned from it. But he’s in good order. Joe (Tizzard) schooled him on Friday morning and he’ll go for the Tingle Creek now.”

Le Roi Miguel is pencilled in to return in the Beards Jewellers Cup at Cheltenham on Friday but Nicholls would not be keen to run him if the ground stays on the quick side.

“Le Roi Miguel is entered at Cheltenham on Friday but if the ground stays the way it is then he won’t run and we might have to try and find a racecourse gallop for Azertyuiop, Le Roi Miguel and Cenkos as I would like them all to run in the Tingle Creek,” he added.

Nicholls has also outlined plans for Valley Henry who fell on his reappearance in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby eight days ago.

The Ditcheat handler has entered Valley Henry for the Edward Hanmer Memorial Chase at Haydock next week but he would sooner meet with dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on November 22.

He explained: “I’ve just put him in at Haydock on Sunday and he might run there but the plan is to take on Best Mate in the Peterborough Chase and then possibly the King George, but if we get well beat at Huntingdon then I suppose we could leave the King George to Best Mate and go to Ireland.”