Paul Nicholls Stable Tour

Form profile

140 rated hurdler. Best most recent effort when fourth, beaten nine and three quarter lengths, to Boreham Bill in the Listed Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton (2m 5f) in January off a mark of 142.

Trainer says

Amour De Nuit would definitely get into the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle and he has been running well.

Form profile

139 rated chaser. Having his first race since September when runner-up, beaten nine lengths, to High Up In The Air in a novices' handicap chase at Fontwell (2m 3 1/2f) on Sunday.

Trainer says

It was always the intention to run Ashutor in the Grand Annual after running at Fontwell at the weekend after having the einter off. He ran well at Fontwell over two mile three and that will bring him on. He has to improve but novices have a good record in this race and, being a handicap, he is in there with a chance.

Form profile

143 rated hurdler. Improving three-mile hurdler who completed a hat-trick in novice events when beating Fedelta four lengths at Kempton (3m 1/2f) in January.

Trainer says

It's nice that Andy has some nice horse for the future again and Barbados Buck's has been one of them. He is rated 143 now and is getting better. He has won his last three and is a proper staying horse and will be right in there in the Albert Bartlett. He worked nice this morning and he is so laid back.

Form profile

146 rated chaser. Made a winning reappearance in a hunter chase at Haydock (2m 6f) in February when beating Wishing And Hoping 17 lengths.

Trainer says

He is a nice horse who would have a good chance in the Foxhunters. It is a race we have won a few times and the sad thing is that David Maxwell bought him himself and he had a few issues with his wind last year and we sorted that out. He won very impressively at Haydock the other day and it is sad David can't ride him, but he has been sporting and said still go and run him. He will get on him after April when amateur start again and David had put so much into the sport and it's a shame he can't ride him, but Bob And Co would have a great chance.

Form profile

150 rated hurdler. Completed hat trick when scoring impressively by ten lengths from Star Gate in the Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury (2m 4 1/2f) in December.

Trainer says

The Grade 1 Challow Hurdle was a very nice race to win with him and he won very nicely that day and he is progressive. He was beaten a neck by Soaring Glory and I was impressed that day and he jumped green and ran green and Harry (Cobden) could hardly pull him up. He just got better and better culminating in that win in the Challow Hurdle at Christmas and he was really strong from the back of the last. The Ballymore is the race for him, and he worked really nicely this morning. I am very happy with his preparation and he is a very relaxed horse and not keen. At Newbury we just kept it simple as we knew he jumped and stayed but a good strong pace will suit him well. He is a good ride and class horse and it's a hard race to win. Years ago, Denman got beat in it and it's a tough race to win with some good horses in it but we think he's got a great chance in it and he' s horse with a future. He is improving physically all the time and the best will come when he goes fencing but he goes there with a leading chance.

Form profile

158 rated chaser. Came closest to victory this season when runner-up, beaten a length and a quarter, to Put The Kettle On in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham (2m) in November.

Trainer says

He won the Arkle two years ago and has run some tidy races. He is just shy of Grade 1 and we have to decide if he goes for the Queen Mother. He wants slightly better ground.

Form profile

133 rated hurdler. Winner of 2 of 6 starts this season, a handicap hurdle at Doncaster in December then a jumpers’ bumper at Kempton in February.

Trainer says

Ecco is ground dependent and really needs good ground.

Form profile

169 rated chaser. Put up a career best performance when beating Waiting Patiently two and a quarter lengths in the Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton (3m) on Boxing Day.

Trainer says

The Gold Cup has been kind to us and we have won it four times with Kauto Star, Denman and See More Business and I would love to win it again - it would be fantastic. Earlier this season he won a handicap under topweight over three miles and one and he's won the King George this time too. We ran him in the Ryanair and he was completely outpaced all the way and this year we decided we would stay over a longer trip. He is in really good form and worked really well this morning and he loves Cheltenham and has won there six times. Often on the last day the ground is decent which will suit him, and he is a horse that keep surprising people. I think last year's winner is the one we all have to beat and then after that they are all very much of a muchness. We beat Santini in the King George and he is a shorter price for the Gold Cup which is something I cannot get. Frodon is always underestimated a bit and we are proud that the horse has gotten to this point. He is a dream horse to train and thrives on his work and is so enthusiastic.

Form profile

161 rated chaser. Landed the Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter (2m 1 /2f) in November by a neck from Moonlighter off a mark of 151. Has been placed in better company since and third, beaten 12 lengths, to Sceau Royal in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase at Newbury (2m 1/2f) in February.

Trainer says

He will also run in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. He ran a bit free in the Game Spirit the other day and carried a penalty. If they go fast in the Queen Mother he is the sort of horse that could run into a place - I not expecting him to win but he deserves his chance.

Form profile

134 rated hurdler. Won Juvenile Hurdle on stable debut at Chepstow in October by 12 lengths before pulling up at Cheltenham in November, then finished third at Wincanton in February.

Trainer says

He won very nicely at Chepstow at the start of the season on decent ground and looked very promising and then went to Cheltenham on softer ground and was choking and obviously had a breathing problem. He had a breathing operation and I had to get a run into him somewhere and he went to Wincanton on heavier ground than I have ever seen there. He needed the run and ran ok and has been dropped 3lb to 131. He has done a lot of graft since and still has a lot of hard work. If the ground was good to soft it would be perfect for him in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap and he goes there with a chance. He will improve a lot for Wincanton.

Form profile

151 rated chaser. Going easily when falling at the 12th in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown (2m 4f) in February won by Sporting John.

Trainer says

He is an interesting runner in the Marsh Novices' Chase. I wanted to run him last Saturday at Kempton because of the ground and he is also in at Newbury this weekend. The ground is an issue in the back of my mind and in a perfect world I would probably run him on Saturday and go to Aintree for the two and a half miler there but if I miss this weekend I might be tempted to go for the Marsh as it might cut up a bit with Envoi Allen being there. Hitman is definitely still a possible whether we go this weekend or not.

Form profile

128 rated hurdler. Finished third, beaten 23 lengths, to Adagio in the Grade 1 Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow (2m) in January on stable debut.

Trainer says

He was third in a Grade 1 at Chepstow for us on very heavy ground and won at Auteuil the time before. I probably ran him a bit too quick after we bought him, but he did run nicely. He galloped nicely this morning and off 128 in the Boodles he would have a nice chance. He's a lovely horse.

Form profile

157 rated chaser. Finished fifth, beaten 25 lengths, to Sceau Royal in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase at Newbury (2m 1/2f) last month.

Trainer says

If we run anything in the Paddy Power Plate it could be Magic Saint who looks to be crying out for a trip. He ran the other day in the Game Spirit and was a bit one paced over the last three. If I did run one it would be him.

Form profile

153 rated chaser. Scored by a length and a half from Fiddlerontheroof in the Grade 2 Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick (3m) in January on latest start.

Trainer says

He is in the Brown Advisory Novice Chase and the National Hunt Chase and if it soft he will run in the Brown Advisory. We put him in the NH as he stays very strongly, and Harry (Cobden) can ride him now. He will be in at the five-day stage in both races and if it is good to soft we will run in the Brown Advisory. He is a horse who had the best part of two and a half years off and he joined us and ran very well over hurdles at Wetherby. He has had two chase runs both in Grade 2s and ran very well in both. He jumped great and won well at Newbury and then won the other day at Warwick which was a bit sharp, but he stayed on strong and has bundles of stamina. The softer the ground the better for him and he's a very smart horse. Willie's horse, Monkfish, is going to be hard to beat on all known form but you never worry about one horse in novice chases at Cheltenham and a lot can happen and they have to jump well. He has it all to do but is in there with a right chance.

Form profile

168 rated chaser. Made a winning reappearance in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown (1m 7 1/2f) in December when beating Greaneteen seven lengths and subsequently runner-up, beaten seven lengths, to First Flow in the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Ascot (2m 1/2f) in January. Winner of last year's Queen Mother Champion Chase when beating Dynamite Dollars nine and a half lengths.

Trainer says

The Queen Mother Champion Chase has been a good race for us, and it was fantastic to win it with Politologue last year. This year is his sixth Festival and if you had seen him gallop this morning you would have been very impressed. He comes good this time of year and goes there with a chance. The ground was slightly test in the Clarence House and he is better on drying ground, but he always gives his all and can run to a very high level. Chacun Pour Soi has not run at Cheltenham before and has to act on the track but if he does then he will be hard to beat but you should never be afraid of one. To be realistic we will go with a nice chance, but it will be hard. Harry will ride Politolgue and Bryony Frost will ride Greaneteen

Form profile

161 rated chaser. Pulled up in the King George VI Chase at Kempton (3m) on Boxing Day and previously shaped well on stable debut when third, beaten seven and a half lengths, to Imperial Aura in a Grade 2 Chase at Ascot (2m 5f) in November.

Trainer says

He ran very well in last year's Gold Cup where they didn't go a great gallop and he travelled like he would win going to the last but he didn't stay up the hill. He is not a stayer and the trip in the Ryanair is ideal for him. He worked beautifully this morning when we took them away and he looks good in his coat. If you look at the King George at Christmas, he travelled down the straight looking as though he was going to be involved then stopped like he was shot. It transpired that he had bled but he's got over that and had plenty of time. He looks good and we have changed his routine. If we have got him right, then we go to the race with a chance.

Form profile

143 rated hurdler and chaser. Has failed to complete in three runs over fences at Cheltenham (twice) and Ascot in November and December.

Trainer says

He might just run in the Coral Cup. He has been a little bit disappointing over fences and hasn't jumped his fences as well as we liked. He worked great this morning and is rated 143 over hurdles and it might just be his race some of the other horses just won't get in.

Form profile

141 rated chaser. Finished runner-up, beaten two lengths, to Golden Sovereign in a handicap chase at Wincanton (3m 1f) in February off a mark of 136.

Trainer says

He is a nice old horse - 10-years-old and he was going to run in some Hunter Chases for David Maxwell, but he sent him to me to get him qualified for the Kim Muir. David can't ride him because of the restrictions so he will be ridden by Harry or Angus Chileada. I'm a bit disappointed as the handicapper as he put him up 5lb for his last run and I thought that was unrealistic. He has it all to do off his mark, but he is a good fun horse and David will get back onto him after Cheltenham.

Form profile

Beaten a head by Quid Pro Quo in a bumper at Hereford in November before hacking up by nine lengths from Bowtogreatness in a similar event at Warwick in December.

Trainer says

He is an intended runner in the Champion Bumper. He just got beat at Hereford and then won well at Warwick on ground that was far too testing for him. He has improved since and he definitely deserves to take his chance - he is a nice horse.

Form profile

144 rated chaser. Completed a hat-trick over fences at Newton Abbot (3m 2f) when beating Coole Cody two and a quarter lengths in a novices’ chase. Not seen out since pulled up behind The Big Breakaway in a similar event at Cheltenham (3m 1/2f) in November.

Trainer says

He is in the Ultima Handicap Chase and the National Hunt Chase and he worked this morning. The key to him is good ground and I spoke to Simon (Claisse) this morning and the ground is good to soft with rain forecast next week so it won't take much for it to go back to soft. If it's soft he is unlikely to run and he will pick up some more races in the spring we thought it was prudent to enter him in case we had a really dry spell and he would be 50-50 in either race.

Form profile

135 rated hurdler. Finished third, beaten three and three quarter lengths, to Polish in a handicap hurdle at Newbury (3m) in February off his current mark.

Trainer says

He is a real strong stayer, and I was a bit disappointed he was beaten at Newbury the other day. He went up 3lb the other day for being beat which I think was a bit harsh, but Cheltenham will suit and the slower the ground for him in the Pertemps.

Form profile

140 rated hurdler. Has won two of his 3 starts this season and returned to winning form latest when beating Ask Dillon a length and a quarter at Chepstow (2m 7 1/2f) in January off a mark of 136.

Trainer says

He was second at Sandown the other day and just pulled himself up a bit in front from the back of the last. He wants soft and we have kept him fresh. Bryony will ride him and Harry Southfield Harvest in the Pertemps and they would both have chances in a very competitive race.

Form profile

139 rated hurdler. Winner of his three hurdles and scored by three quarters of a length from Fantastikas in the Scottish Stayers Novices' Hurdle at Musselburgh (3m) in February.

Trainer says

He beat the horse that Barbados Buck's beat of Nigel Twiston's that won at Fontwell on Sunday. He is three out of three over hurdles and you wouldn't know what was in the locker with him as he only does enough, goes along with his ears pricked, jumps well and will definitely get every bit of the trip and is another one with a nice chance. Obviously, Adrian Heskin will ride him and Harry will ride Barbados Buck's. He stays and he jumps and that's what you need in the Albert Bartlett.

Form profile

141 rated hurdler. Finished ninth, beaten 12 1/2 lengths to Soaring Glory in the Grade 3 Betfair Hurdle at Newbury (2m 1/2f) in February off his current mark.

Trainer says

He is an intended runner in the County Hurdle, and he ran a really tidy race in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury the other day. He hadn't run for a long while but going to the last he looked really dangerous and he just needed the run. If it is a nice dry week and goodish ground, he could run well. He would be definitely be running at Ayr in the Scottish Champion Hurdle, that would be a really good race for him on better ground.