Paul Nicholls hopes Kalif Du Berlais can ignite what he intends to be a busy January for his team by securing victory in the Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton Park.
Although the first month of the year is traditionally a quiet one for the 14-time champion trainer, he intends to send out more runners than usual this time around.
Leading the charge will be Kalif Du Berlais, who will step back up in trip to an extended two and a half miles for a crack at the Grade Two prize on January 10.
Although the Masked Marvel gelding could only finish fourth carrying top weight on his return to action in the BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter last month, Nicholls believes the five-year-old will be a different proposition moving back up in distance.
Nicholls said: “The horses are really well at the moment. They just seemed to have turned a bit of a corner and they look great.
“Normally we are quiet in January, but we are not going to be quiet this season. We’ve had a slow start, but we have got a lot to run in the next three weeks.
“Kalif Du Berlais will go to Kempton Park for the Silviniaco Conti Chase. We all got a bit disappointed the day he got beat in the Haldon Gold Cup, but watching Thistle Ask in the Desert Orchid there was no wonder he couldn’t keep up with him off top weight in that.
“He wants two and a half miles now. He is really well and he worked well on Saturday morning.
"Olive (Nicholls) has ridden him at home and she says he actually got a bit slower now, but he is a bit older and a bit stronger. He will end up getting three miles one day."
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