Paul Nicholls verdict on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham

Dan Skelton’s charge is putting his Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup credentials on the line against three rivals for a race in which Nicholls himself has a fine record.

“I've won the Betfair Cotswold Chase five times and they're all good memories. It was a fantastic race when Neptune Collonges won and of course, he went on to win a Grand National, it's just a good race for those good staying chasers, it's been a great race for me,” the former champion trainer told Betfair.

“Sadly, it's not a big field on Saturday, I'm surprised there's only four runners and I'd say that Grey Dawning is an absolute certainty, that's my view. He'll love the ground, he's been kept fresh, he was very impressive in the Betfair Chase, it's a good time away from the Cheltenham Gold Cup and I think he'll be very hard to beat.

“For this type of race, you have to have a horse that will stay and be a bit classy, it's just shy of the Cheltenham Gold Cup trip, but you still have to stay.

“I think the ground is going to be testing on Saturday, it's a good race, it's just a shame there's only four runners. That's the way it is at the moment, there's not too many high-class Gold Cup type horses in the UK, especially if we can only field two. But as I say, I think Grey Dawning will take the world of beating.”

Although he has no runner in the race this time around, Nicholls is represented on the card and feels Minella Yoga in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle is his best chance of a winner.

He made a winning start for the yard when beating Act Of Innocence at Newbury and Nicholls added: “We are still learning about him after he surprised us a little with the manner of his win at Newbury in December. The way he travelled and stayed on strongly to put the race to bed in the last furlong impressed me.

“He can only keep learning. I think the softer ground won't hurt him - he won on heavy at Fairyhouse in November - and, based on the way he stayed on strongly, I think he will gallop up that Cheltenham hill. It is a learning curve, we are learning all about him.

“Dan Skelton's horse in this race, Maestro Conti, has won two from two, and there are other smart horses in there, so this is going to be a good race. But we are very happy with Minella Yoga and how he performs on Saturday will tell us whether he is going to go to the Triumph Hurdle. He has good form, but we will know a lot more about him after this race. He is without a doubt my best chance of the day.”

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