Paul Nicholls 'has a big chance' as he takes the high road with Dolos

Weatherbys Hamilton Graduation Chase | 2m | RUK

What's 300 miles when there's a £50,000 prize on offer and you look thrown in at the weights?

Paul Nicholls only sends horses on the long haul from Ditcheat to Carlisle when he thinks it worth their while, as a record of five wins from just 12 course runners since he started training bears out.

And he looks to have found a perfect opportunity here for useful chaser Dolos, who would meet all of these rivals in worse terms in a handicap – much worse in some cases.

"It's a good race with good prize money and when you get races like that you've got to go wherever they are," the trainer said. "It's good of Carlisle to put it on.

"Dolos is qualified because he has only won the one race over fences and he's got a mark of 152 which makes life quite hard so these races are obvious for him.

"It's quite competitive but he ran a very good race at Newton Abbot first time out and he's in good shape. He has a big chance."

One For Billy makes the 220-mile trip up from Dan Skelton's Warwickshire yard in search of compensation, having ducked through the tape on the run-in at Cheltenham last month.

He was second, chasing eventual winner Diakali at the time, and his trainer said: "What happened the other day was unfortunate but I was happy with him at the time and he was running another improved race.

"He's obviously got to step up again with Dolos rated higher than him but he'll handle the track and we're looking for a bit of compensation after Cheltenham. He's improved all summer and he's been a great horse for us."

Last month's Kelso handicap winner Nuts Well took the first running of this race last year, readily seeing off three rivals.

But owner Ian Hamilton, whose wife Ann trains the seven-year-old near Newcastle, acknowledges that things will be tougher 12 months on.

"It was worth £12,000 last year but it's £50,000 this year and it's a bit different, with different opposition as well!" he said. "He's badly in at the weights, Dolos is rated 152 and we're giving him weight.

"But it was quite an achievement to win at Kelso as he'd only run in two chases last season. I hope they don't get the rain as he seemed to love the ground at Kelso.

"It was good to firm and he bounced off it – that was his best run and I think it was because of the ground that he did it so well, if he hadn't fluffed the last he'd have won on a tight rein. Brian Hughes knows him inside out and we're hoping for the best – there's good place money too."

Chesterfield: is reappearing quickly after making his chasing debut at UttoxeterCredit: John Grossick

Wiltshire-based Seamus Mullins, who has had one winner from just two previous runners at Carlisle in 28 years as a trainer, sends up former Scottish Champion Hurdle winner Chesterfield, who finished second on his chasing debut at Uttoxeter ten days ago.

"It's not ideal going again so quickly but there are a lack of opportunities at two miles and he's come out of his Uttoxeter race well.

"That was a decent effort, he jumped well and lack of a run probably beat him. He's up against more seasoned chasers at Carlisle but it's a small field and a nice prize on nice ground."

Vinndication back with a vengeance

Kim Bailey's Vinndication, who is unbeaten in four starts under rules – one bumper and three hurdles, including the Listed Sydney Banks – makes his eagerly anticipated chasing debut in the Smarkets Novices' Chase (1.30).

Bailey opted to put the horse, who he described as a 'complete baby' and was as short as 10-1 for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, away for the season after his three-and-a-quarter length defeat of Western Ryder at Huntingdon.

"I've been very happy with his progress at home and it's a big day for him tomorrow," Bailey said on Sunday.

Vinndication (David Bass) jumps the final flight and wins the Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

"There are very few races for him to run in, it was either there or Cheltenham next weekend. He doesn't want three miles, he doesn't want two miles and at two and a half miles there are only two races for him,"

He added: "I looked at the Carlisle ground last night and I thought it was just about okay."

Oliver Sherwood's two-time hurdle winner Euxton Lane, who was last seen finishing seventh to Black Op in the Mersey Novices' Hurdle, is in opposition, as well as Fleminport, who represents JP McManus.

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