'He's ready for his life' - Next Destination in top shape for Betfair Chase

Paul Nicholls likened Next Destination to dual winner Silviniaco Conti as he put the finishing touches to his preparation for the Betfair Chase.

The champion jumps trainer is aiming for a record-extending seventh victory in the Haydock showpiece, which he most famously took four times with Kauto Star between 2006 and 2011.

He admits he will be "dipping his toe in the water" when Next Destination faces seven rivals on his first run in Grade 1 company over fences on Saturday, including Cheltenham Gold Cup second A Plus Tard.

Betfair Chase: Saturday's runners and riders

But he has plenty of faith in the National Hunt Chase runner-up and said: "He's a high-class horse, he's got good form. Kauto Star was a one-off, I'd describe him more as a Silviniaco Conti, an out-and-out stayer who gallops forever.

"Saturday's race will tell us a lot more about where we go afterwards. Hopefully he'll run well on Saturday and we can consider an entry for the Gold Cup.

"He's a Grade 1 winner over hurdles, if he hadn't had injuries in the past he probably would have been running in a race like this when he was younger. We always rated him highly and I think he'll run very well."

Silviniaco Conti leads Long Run on his way to his first Betfair Chase win in 2012Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Nicholls has had at least one runner in the Betfair Chase every year bar one since it was founded in 2005 and said: "It's been a good race for us, we've won it six times and we'd love to win it again. We're putting our toe in the water in top-class company and we're looking forward to the challenge.

"He's a second-season novice. He's been plagued by injuries so you wouldn't want to be running him every week, you've got to look after him and treat him with kid gloves. But he's an exciting horse. Potentially he's got a huge engine and if it all goes right he's exciting."

Next Destination will be having his first run since Cheltenham, where Nicholls felt: "They went no gallop, it was a bit of a sprint from the back of the last and we could have done with there being more emphasis on his stamina."

But the trainer has no fitness worries and said: "He had an away day and did a good piece of work over two miles at Exeter with Saint Calvados, Rouge Vif and Simply The Betts, and a couple of others who ran last weekend.

"He's ready for his life. He won't need the run, I can assure you."

Kauto Star proved the doubters wrong by returning to win a fourth Betfair Chase at the age of 11 in 2011Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Nicholls beat Gold Cup winner Minella Indo with Frodon in the Champion Chase at Down Royal last month and is looking forward to taking on his stablemate A Plus Tard three weeks on.

The trainer said: "It's a long way from Cheltenham, a different track, a different time of year. It opens everything up. He looks the one to beat on form, as Minella Indo was the other day at Down Royal. They're beatable at this time of year."

Native River was the only confirmed entry who was not declared for the Betfair Chase, which has its biggest field for seven years, with A Plus Tard the sponsor's 6-4 favourite.

Big names on show at Ascot

Ascot specialist Dashel Drasher faces tough opposition on his seasonal return in the Chanelle Pharma 1965 Chase (2.05) at his favourite track.

Rex Dingle steps in to ride Jeremy Scott's stable star with regular rider Matt Griffiths continuing to recover from a car crash, and the pair face Grade 1 winners Defi Du Seuil and Lostintranslation.

Defi Du Seuil: returns at Ascot on SaturdayCredit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

The two chasers, trained by Philip Hobbs and Colin Tizzard respectively, clashed three times in their novice season but were soon campaigned over other distances following Defi Du Seuil's triumph at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.

Tiger Roll, Espoir De Romay and Franco De Port were taken out of the Grade 2 contest.

The Coral Hurdle (2.40) will feature Goshen, Song For Someone and Buzz, who is making his first start since landing the Cesarewitch. They are among just 48 declarations for a seven-race card.

Betfair Chase runners and riders

A Plus TardRachael Blackmore
Bristol De MaiDaryl Jacob
Chatham Street LadSean Quinlan
Clondaw CastleJonathan Burke
Imperial AuraDavid Bass
Next DestinationHarry Cobden
Royale PagailleCharlie Deutsch
Waiting PatientlyBrian Hughes

Betfair Chase
Sponsors: 6-4 A Plus Tard, 10-3 Bristol De Mai, 5 Next Destination, 11-2 Waiting Patiently, 9 Royale Pagaille, 12 Imperial Aura, 33 Clondaw Castle, Chatham Street Lad

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