Downroyal Saturday

granger

granger

Senior Jockey
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The QM winner, The RSA winner in the same race and neither of them favourite

Elsewhere on the card, will get to See Kauto Stone in action in another very competitive looking chase
 
Paul Nicholls thoughts.

14:20 Down Royal

The Nightingale

This is a competitive and high class race, as you would expect for a Grade 1 contest, but The Nightingale has plenty in his favour. Most pertinent among them is that he is a very smart on his day and that day is normally first time up; he won on his debut, and on his reappearance in 2010 and 2011, last year beating Roberto Goldback by 11 lengths on this card. I gave him an each way chance when we stepped him up in class and went for the King George but you can forget his poor, pulled-up, effort there as we found out that he had a fibrillating heart problem afterwards.

We won't know whether he is fully over that ailment for sure until he races, but he gives me every sign in his homework that he's 100 per cent. And if he is, then he should give a good account of himself, although Sizing Europe (Champion Chase winner and second to Kauto in this race last year), Bostons Angel, Midnight Chase and Quito De La Roque, will be formidable opponents. This is The Nightingale's Gold Cup - he has done loads of graft, and I have got him ready to fight for his life.

14:50 Down Royal

Kauto Stone

Bids to follow up The Nightingale's win in this race last year, and certainly comes into the contest with plenty of expectation surrounding him, as a half-brother to Kauto Star with high class form already in the book in France. May have been beaten on his last two starts in France but showed his true worth when winning a Grade 1 chase over 2m6f by six lengths at Auteuil in November.

He's only five-years-old with his career ahead of him, but it is clearly exciting to have a horse of his quality join the yard and hopefully he can get off to a winning start for us, though with the likes of Blazing Tempo and the fit and in-form Roi Du Mee against him and getting weight, defeat wouldn't be the end of the world. But he has been schooling and working really well, and he's fit enough, all right
 
Blazing Tempo is massively favoured by the weights in the Grade 2 tomorrow, imo. I've got Kauto Stone on 151, and - all other things being equal - I can't have it that he'll be capable of giving 8lbs to the Mullins yoke.

Blazing Tempo has done nothing but improve since moving to WPM, and with a recent run under his belt (great effort to get within 5L of Alpha Beat conceding 3lb over a trip too far in Heavy ground), I think he is a stone, cold nap tomorrow. Chandlers 9/4 is a great price and I am filling my boots.

Dunno what Corals have against Quito in the Nicholson, but their 100/30 looks awfully big too.
 
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He's a better chaser than he was a hurdler, granger, but he has his limitations.

The UK handicapper had him on 155 for the Paddy Power (Timeform gave him 156 in C&H) which is too high, imo. Even if it's accurate, he has to give the 152-rated and match-fit Blazing Tempo 8lbs today, and comes into the race off the back of two moderate efforts in the spring.

Nicholls can certainly improve them, and he'll need to have squeezed a good bit extra out of KS for him to be landing this. IMO, of course. :cool:
 
I like Kauto Stone a lot but he's no Long Run - KS was targeted at particular races ie. the Grade 1's whilst in France so it's probably best to ignore the runs in between - even so he found Prince Oui Oui and Saint Chenet too good over hurdles and in at least one Chase start, neither of whom have done a lot at the top level in open company. Also think he's looked like a bit of a boat so might find the trip on the short side.
 
Love the horse as well but as well as the trip I don't think he liked the course either last year. Not backing him but The Nightingale gets the nod for me.
 
Kauto Stone faces decent opposition and nobody seems to know how good he is.I find it an unusual target on his first race for Nicholls.I think people are being blinded by the human and equine connections.
I am place laying him for everything I can at evens or lower.
 
Forget about Whip bans, i would like to see Russell get 40 days for that ride (didn't back him).
 
Backed Sizing at 9/2-his one run over the distance was inconclusive-happy to give him a chance at the price.
 
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