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North West Masters 2007 |
Nicholls Would Welcome Exotic Dancer Pacemaker
17/10/07
Paul Nicholls, trainer of last year's Betfair Chase winner Kauto Star, said today that he would welcome the use of a pacemaker in races by the connections of Exotic Dancer.
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He was speaking at the launch of the 2007 Northwest Racing Masters, the fabulous weekend of racing at Haydock Park and Aintree on November 24 & 25.
Nicholls commented: "The running of a pacemaker would not worry us in the slightest. We have always felt that a slow-run race does not suit Kauto Star. When he ran at Newbury, it was a crawl, he was a bit fresh and did not switch off and got himself into a muddle.
"A fast-run race helps him, because he can just sit in a little bit. We are not worried about his stamina whatsoever. He has never looked like not staying in his races. It was his first time over three miles, two furlongs in the Gold Cup - and he would have won over three miles, four furlongs.
"The only thing that would concern us is if Cheltenham came up very, very testing ground and it was a real slog - that would be a different story and affect a lot of horses.
"In normal circumstances, the use of a pacemaker would not worry us at all - it would save us running one!
"To be honest, when you get later into the season when Denman, Star De Mohaison and these other horses run, they will go a good gallop anyway.
"The Gold Cup this year was a race in which everybody was watching everybody and they did not go a gallop really."
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Exotic Dancer, trained by Jonjo O'Neill, was second to Kauto Star in both the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup at Cheltenham last season.
Kauto Star, the best chaser in Europe last season, will go for the bonusprint.com Old Roan Chase at Aintree on October 28 all being well and then be aimed at the Betfair Million again, with the first leg being the Grade One £200,000 Betfair Chase at Haydock Park on the opening day of the Northwest Racing Masters.
"Everything went really well last year with Kauto Star. We need to try and get him in the same shape for those races this season.
"There are a lot of good young horses coming through and there are always the ground conditions - lots of things can go against him.
"If we get him there in good form, he is the one they all still
have to beat."
Asked whether he would back Kauto Star to win the 2007/08 Betfair Million
at 6/1, the trainer replied: "I'm not sure. Barring Kempton which
is sharp enough for him, Haydock and Cheltenham suit him well and he
has got a fair chance if everything goes right. It will be interesting.
Clifford (Baker - the head lad) thinks he is every bit as good if not
better than he was last year.
"He certainly doesn't appear to have deteriorated. Every other horse has to improve to catch him up. If he learns not to make mistakes at the last, that will be an advantage.
"Ruby is going to come down and give him a school but he doesn't really need it - he jumps particularly well at home. He jumps exceptionally well at the races except for silly mistakes and you cannot iron out those silly mistakes at home. I think he is fairly safe even though he scares us all. "
Nicholls hopes to run others at the Northwest Racing Masters weekend, nominating Taranis for the £100,000 Betfair "Fixed Brush" Handicap Hurdle and both Poquelin and Gwanako for the £40,000 Pied Bull Hurdle on the first day.
Regarding Aintree on November 25, he put forward a number of possibles for the £100,000 totesport Becher Chase. These include Royal Auclair, Mr Pointment, Gungadu, Nycteos, Le Duc, My Will, Cornish Sett and Turthen.
He remarked: " A lot can happen between now and then. We will pick out one or two. Turthen has yet to win for us - he was unlucky last season - he fell at Sandown when going quite nicely and he fell in the Topham Chase at Aintree when going very nicely.
"He will definitely stay and has got quite a nice handicap mark. He is the type of horse to win some nice races and the Becher Chase might be made for him as he jumps well.
"Nycteos, owned by Andy Stewart, is a big strapping chaser and has run over the Grand National fences before, when falling in the Topham.
"We took our time with him last season and he won a Listed chase at Cheltenham in April really well. I have always thought he would be suited by Aintree and he is a definite possibility for the totesport Becher Chase."
