Paul Nicholls targeting big payday with smart novice hurdler Belliano

Paul Nicholls is hoping history can repeat itself as he targets the £80,000 EBF Final at Sandown with the smooth 2m4½f novice hurdle winner Belliano. 

The 14-time champion trainer won the same race with McFabulous in 2020 before he went on to land the rescheduled EBF Final at Kempton.

Runner-up behind the Challow winner The New Lion at Chepstow in October, Belliano has won both his subsequent starts with the minimum of fuss, including this cosy three-and-a-quarter-length success under Freddie Gingell over Silver Thorn.

"He's quite a big, backward horse who we've taken our time with and he's improving," Nicholls said. "The reason I sent him to the track was to qualify him for the EBF Final. I sent McFabulous there and he went on and won, so it would be nice to go to Sandown with a bit of a chance.

"I don't want to overface him at Cheltenham. If he ran well at Sandown we could perhaps look at the Sefton at Aintree. He's a chaser for the future."

Nicholls enjoyed an across-the-card double with Go West at Taunton and on his other winning novice hurdler he added: "He was pleasing. He's won his two hurdles now and we'll find another similar race for him."

Brennan's good run

Barry Brennan saddled a 66-1 winner with Legendary Day at Lingfield on Sunday and struck with 33-1 shot Seahouses, also owned by David Gibbons, in the 2m4½f conditional jockeys' novice handicap hurdle. He scored by two and a half lengths under Isabelle Ryder.

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