'He's lovely and hopefully will go very well' - Paul Nicholls keen on Monmiral

2.40 Doncaster
bet365 Summit Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) | 2m½f | 3yo | ITV4/Sky

Paul Nicholls won this two years ago with Quel Destin, whose only win before moving to Britain from France had come at Auteuil, and Monmiral has a similar profile.

Monmiral’s only win in France last campaign came at Auteuil and that form has substance. The runner-up Hell Red has also joined Nicholls and looked one of the better juveniles in Britain before disappointing when 11-10 favourite at Cheltenham last month.

Everything has gone to plan for Monmiral in Britain so far. Nicholls said in his recent stable tour that the aim was to go to Exeter for Monmiral’s first start before a run in one of the two big juvenile hurdles at Cheltenham or Doncaster in mid-December. Monmiral comfortably justified 11-8 favouritism on his British debut in that Exeter race and here he is on Town Moor.

He is by leading French jumps sire Saint Des Saints, whose progeny are 3-15 at Doncaster since the start of 2010, and Nicholls has trained some of the better sons of Saint Des Saints.

Irish Saint (highest Racing Post Rating of 160), Aux Ptits Soins (155) and Sametegal (153) have represented Nicholls with distinction and Monmiral looks another classy recruit.

Gordon Elliott has an embarrassment of riches in the juvenile division this season and it will be a blow to the British should he manage to win this with Glorious Zoff, who looks some way off the best in an Elliott yard that houses Triumph favourites Zanahiyr and Quilixios.

Glorious Zoff was a disappointing 4-11 favourite when second at Sedgefield last time but had previously achieved the highest Racing Post Rating in this race on hurdles debut at Sligo.

Heather Main pitches Cloud Thunder in at the deep end on his hurdles debut, but the son of Poet’s Voice had the highest BHA rating of those who ran on the Flat and isn’t out of it.

It’s a bone of contention as to how much you should add to a horse's Flat rating to get an idea of what they might be capable of achieving over hurdles. It seems to vary between 30lb-50lb.

I work on an estimate of 35lb and if Cloud Thunder can run to an RPR 35lb higher than when second at Newcastle on his latest Flat start that would give him a figure of 117, putting him right there with Monmiral, who got an RPR of 120 for his Exeter win but has to concede 5lb.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

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What they say

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Monmiral
He's a lovely horse who won at Auteuil before winning nicely first time for us at Exeter, which was his prep for this. The ground should be perfect and Sean Bowen came and sat on him and liked him. Hopefully he'll go very well.

Heather Main, trainer of Cloud Thunder
He's been progressive on the Flat, finishing second on his last three starts, but he's not an all-weather horse. He's been schooling really well and has taken to the hurdles. He's been a bit green, but he's quite intelligent and the jumps should help him concentrate.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Glorious Zoff
Monmiral looks like he's going to be hard to beat, but our lad was too keen last time and might be better on better ground.

Gordon Elliott: runs Glorious Zoff in this Grade 2 eventCredit: Patrick McCann

Josh Guerriero, assistant to Oliver Greenall, trainer of Gold Desert
He's been a great little horse for us after winning two races this season and deserves to run in a valuable race. He's tough and stays really well. We're hoping they get more rain and if it goes soft, he'll definitely have a squeak.

Charlie Mann, trainer of Mistersister
He came from France where he won and finished close to Nassalam, who has won twice since joining Gary Moore. I don't know too much about him, but there are only five runners and he goes well at home.
Reporting by Andrew Dietz

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