Nicholls issues Denman warning

Paul Nicholls has warned Denman should not be written off for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup despite his lacklustre display in the Aon Chase earlier this month.

Racegoers at Newbury were left aghast as the 10-year-old unshipped champion jockey Tony McCoy after a couple of jumping errors and he was universally eased for the highlight of the Cheltenham Festival.

The sponsors have him at 11-4 to see off his stablemate and 4-6 favourite Kauto Star on March 19, with the score between the pair in the Gold Cup standing at one apiece.

Nicholls pointed to a lazy workout at Exeter prior to Denman’s thumping Hennessy win as an example of his character, and said: “I am not too perturbed by what happened at Newbury and they can’t win every time.

“Two years ago Kauto unseated Sam Thomas at Haydock and people said he was finished, but he came out and won the King George.

“He made a mistake at Newbury and paid the penalty. If he hadn’t made the mistake he would have won, in my opinion.

“He was in the same position in relation to Niche Market turning in as he was in the Hennessy and he was nowhere near ready – the run will have brought him on.

“If anyone saw his gallop at Exeter before the Hennessy, you would have thought he couldn’t win an egg-and-spoon race.

“He is tanking along at the moment and will have three weeks of seriously hard graft before the Gold Cup.

“What people said about Tony McCoy not suiting him is twaddle and you can write him off at your peril.”

Kauto Star became the first horse to reclaim the Gold Cup last March and Nicholls reported to around 100 members of the media at his Cheltenham open day that the four-times King George winner is ready for the showdown with his stablemate.

“Kauto is well and looks fantastic in his coat,” said the champion trainer.

“As last year, he hasn’t ran since the King George and will go to Cheltenham fresh and well.

“He improved enormously from his first run at Haydock to the King George and you don’t want them at their best in their trials.

“He is the best he has ever been and if he turns up at Cheltenham at the top of his game, then it will be a momentous performance by anything to beat him, be that Denman or whoever.”

Ruby Walsh will stay loyal to Kauto Star, with Tony McCoy aboard Denman again, Sam Thomas partnering Tricky Trickster and Barry Geraghty mentioned as a possible for My Will or Taranis.

Nicholls added: “My Will has been out of form a little but all his best performances have come on good ground and he has been running on soft.

“The Grand National has been his target all season and he will run in the Gold Cup on his way to Aintree.

“I was particularly pleased with Taranis’ win in the Pillar as when they have had leg trouble, they are hard to get fit.

“If he runs like that in the Gold Cup then he has a definite chance of being placed.”

Tricky Trickster made the most of Denman’s Aon mishap to steal the race, and Nicholls added: “With the weather, we hadn’t been able to school him over fences so there will be improvement to come from Newbury.

“Sam will ride and I think he will run a big race. He could be a dark horse for the Gold Cup.”