Nicholls on cloud nine after Charlie Hall - but let's not rush to judgement

Beware of jumping to conclusions, particularly about those who have a lot of jumping to do in a busy season ahead. Taking results literally on Charlie Hall Chase day can be extraordinarily misleading – and not just on the racecourse.

Manchester City’s 2-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace 12 months ago no more signalled their title hopes were over than did Burnley’s 3-1 dismissal of Brentford prove the Turf Moor faithful were set for another buoyant Premier League campaign.

Wetherby's most prestigious race comes too early in the season for an apparently disappointing effort to cause any horse to be written off. Remember even-money shot Silviniaco Conti trailing in fifth in 2014? Or odds-on Cue Card managing no better than third two years later? Both bounced back to win the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock just three weeks later.