Nicholls: Star should go on soft
Paul Nicholls is confident likely favourite Kauto Star will handle softer ground in tomorrow’s William Hill – Tingle Creek Trophy at Sandown.
The five-year-old will be having just his fourth start over fences in the Grade One feature and overnight rain at the Esher track has seen the ground ease to good to soft, soft in places.
Nicholls does not think the testing conditions will be a major problem, however, and believes slower ground may in fact aid Kauto Star’s chances.
“To be honest it might help him,” said Nicholls. “It’s not that soft on the chase course yet, but if there was more rain they probably wouldn’t go so quick in the early stages.
“As he is a less-experienced horse, that would be in his favour.”
Kauto Star ran on very soft ground in his native France and conditions were also on the slow side when he finished second behind Monkerhostin in the Haldon Gold Cup on his reappearance last month.
“He’s got some form on soft ground and it was pretty soft when he was second to Monkerhostin at Exeter,” Nicholls added.
Mark Rimell is also relatively unconcerned by the softer conditions ahead of stable star Oneway’s run in the two-mile race.
The eight-year-old will be having his first start since finishing fourth in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March.
Oneway was a hugely progressive performer last season, notching up five wins on the bounce, including two successes over tomorrow’s course and distance, before meeting with defeat at the Festival.
All of those wins came on good to soft ground or better, but Rimell said: “The rain wouldn’t worry me too much with him, it’s the same for them all, but I would rather we didn’t get too much more.
“It’s an outstanding race and he is in very good form.”
The Oxfordshire handler expects Oneway to improve on that Cheltenham fourth.
“I am not 100 per cent convinced he was at his best at Cheltenham. I’m not even convinced he was at his best when he won at Haydock before – he probably didn’t have to be to win there,” he said.
“Maybe it was the noise of the crowd or the track at Cheltenham, but there are just a couple of boxes that weren’t ticked that day.
“He has always struck me as a late-maturing sort of horse and now that he is eight, going on nine, he should be at his peak.
“He needs to improve, but I have a sneaky feeling that he might just have it in him.”
Oneway is a 6-1 chance with Ladbrokes, while Kauto Star is their 11-8 market leader. Ashley Brook, third in the Haldon Gold Cup is 3-1, with Exeter winner Monkerhostin a 5-1 chance to confirm the form.
