'There's no Champion Hurdle horse in there' - Nicholls eyeing third Betfair Hurdle with well-treated pair

Paul Nicholls is gearing up for another big Saturday and believes he has two live chances in Rubaud and Hacker Des Places against short-priced favourite Filey Bay in Newbury’s Betfair Hurdle.

Like the market leader, Rubaud will bid to boost the tremendous record of novices, who have landed seven of the last ten Betfair Hurdles, whereas Hacker Des Places bids to build on a handicap hurdle victory at Cheltenham a fortnight ago.

Rubaud, the mount of Harry Cobden and owned by Chris Giles and Brendan McManus, is a two-time winner from four starts over hurdles and priced at 15-2 with the sponsors, with Filey Bay heading the betting at 3-1 for the 18-runner event (3.55). Filey Bay, trained by Emmet Mullins, and the Willie Mullins-trained Icare Allen will bid to become the first winner for Ireland since Essex scored in 2005.

Nicholls, who won the race with Zarkandar in 2012 and Pic D’Orhy in 2020, said: “Rubaud is a novice rated 130 and that’s quite a nice mark. The ground was probably too soft for him at Kempton so we’ve waited for this hoping for better ground and it’s come good for him, so we’re hoping he has a live chance in a race that novices have a good record in.

“It’s a good, competitive handicap but there’s no Champion Hurdle horse in there and there’s one or two – like Rubaud – who look quite nicely handicapped.”

Rubaud (left): second to Rare Edition at Kempton last monthCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Hacker Des Places is a big-race ride for conditional Angus Cheleda, who is 4-7 on the Owners Group-owned six-year-old. He carries a 5lb penalty for his Cheltenham win – 1lb more than he was raised by the handicapper – and is priced at 7-1 joint second favourite with Betfair.

Nicholls said: “I ran him at Cheltenham to get a prep into him for this race and he won, which did surprise me and he could well be improving. He keeps on going up the handicap a little but is definitely on a mark he can still be competitive off. Angus has got on very well with him, rides him most days at home and his claim will be useful on him.”

Greaneteen attempts to tee up a tilt at the Champion Chase in the Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase (3.00). The three-time Grade 1 winner takes on last year’s winner Funambule Sivola and is a best-price 4-9 favourite with bet365, while the 13-time champion trainer feels 7-4 favourite Hitman has a standout chance in the Betfair Denman Chase (2.25).

Last season’s Marsh Chase runner-up bids to bounce back having been pulled up in the King George VI Chase in December. His rivals include last year’s scorer Eldorado Allen and progressive chaser Does He Know in a race won by Nicholls on ten occasions since its first running in 2000.

Hitman: has a "great chance" in Denman Chase according to his trainer Paul NichollsCredit: Edward Whitaker

Nicholls said: “Greaneteen loves good ground and this was always going to be his prep for the Champion Chase. I’ve left plenty to work on with him from now until March but he goes well fresh. The waters have muddied a little bit recently as to the Champion Chase but that often happens at this time of year and hopefully he can be in the mix.

“The Denman Chase has been a very good race for us and I love winning it given its name. Hitman was very fancied in the King George on soft ground but made a bad mistake that took him out the race. You can put a line through that. He’s very well and has a great chance.”

McFabulous, Holetown Hero and Meatloaf are other likely favourites at the Berkshire track for Nicholls, who has declared ten runners on the seven-race card. The going remains good and clerk of the course Keith Ottesen expects it to ride on the slower side.

Ottesen said: “We’re in a good place and will be fine for Saturday. It dropped to -2C overnight but by 7am there was no frost. It’s going to be slow, good ground and it’s very different to what it was in November when we were having to water it a little bit to get it to good.”

Betfair Hurdle (3.35 Newbury, Saturday)

Betfair: 3 Filey Bay, 7 Hacker Des Places, Icare Allen, 15-2 Rubaud, 9 No Ordinary Joe, 12 Aucunrisque, Deere Mark, Glory And Fortune, Master Chewy, Monviel, 14 bar

Read more . . .

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