Nicholls eyeing Dream debut

David Nicholls is on a fact-finding mission with French recruit Dream Catcher as he makes his debut for the yard in the Jaguar XJ Autumn Stakes at Ascot tomorrow.

The grey has produced winning form across the Channel and while his new trainer is confident he will handle the likely soft ground in Berkshire, he admits he is not sure what to expect in this Group Three contest.

“He has some decent form in France but we haven’t had him long and we’re just trying to find out where we’re going with him,” said Nicholls.

“He won’t mind the soft ground but we’re throwing him in at the deep end, so we’ll see.”

Richard Hannon saddles unbeaten colt Pausanias, part-owned by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.

“Whatever Pausanias does, he is going to be a lovely horse for next year,” the trainer told his website www.richardhannonracing.tv.

“The handicapper whacked him up a stone for dead-heating with one of Godolphin’s smart two-year-olds at Kempton, but Pausanias is a big colt with endless scope and we’d be hopeful that he’ll cope with the ground.”