Nicholls banking on Parrain Power

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls believes Mon Parrain could be the right horse to finally fill a glaring omission from his glittering CV in Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Despite having won almost every major race on the calendar, the Paddy Power, along with the Grand National and Champion Hurdle, are the only major prizes to have eluded Nicholls, who also saddles top-weight Poquelin and Aerial.

Nicholls has sent out plenty of fancied runners in the first major handicap of the season, but in Mon Parrain he has a young, unexposed and seemingly well-handicapped contender who has headed the ante-post market since betting opened.

“He’s in good order. I took him to Exeter last week for a gallop (with Kauto Star and Big Buck’s) as everybody knows and I’m very happy with him,” said Nicholls.

“He hasn’t had a breathing operation. He’s never had any issues with his breathing.

“The only reason I took him to Exeter last week to give him a gallop is because he’s been slow coming to hand and I had a few little niggly things with him earlier in the year.

“They were nothing much, but I just felt we were running out of time with him so I thought I’d give him a racecourse gallop to make sure he’s right for the weekend.

“You would have thought this is his trip. He won very well at Sandown over three miles but I think he’d have won that day over any trip he was that well handicapped.

“It was just a little disappointing that he stopped when he did halfway up the run-in at Aintree but he is only five and he might be that bit stronger now.

“We’ll know a lot more after the race.”