Paul Nicholls: Saturday runners at Ascot, Down Royal and Wetherby

Will Silviniaco Conti triumph at Wetherby?

Paul Nicholls sends some of his most promising runners out on Saturday afternoon with horses in action at three courses... 

13:25 Ascot - Rolling Aces

Had a breathing operation in the summer, so I warned everybody in these columns that he would probably need the run in a handicap hurdle on his reappearance, as it necessitated him coming in later than the others. But he was still gambled on into favouritism. So in the circumstances I was more than happy enough with his fourth at Cheltenham. Is a winning Irish pointer, and chasing has always been his game. Hopefully he can show that here but on hurdle ratings he has a pretty stiff task.

14:25 Down Royal - Kauto Stone

This is clearly a very tough race but I am looking forward to seeing Kauto Stone over 3m. I think he needs a trip now and we have been teaching him to settle at home. The evidence of his runs for me may indicate that he is more of a speed horse than a stayer, and the fact he is finished a good second to Sizing Europe in the Tingle Creek after winning the 2m4f race on this card last year indicates that. After all, we ran him in the Champion Chase. But his season rather fell apart after Sandown and I think he needs a trip. Take a look at his French form and you see that he won a Grade 1 chase over 2m6f in heavy ground at Auteuil as a 4yo. This will tell us where he stands, as he is plenty fit enough for this. But he may even need a career-best with the level of opposition pitched against him here.

14:35 Ascot - Ted Spread

Soft ground would be a worry here but it has dried up to good to soft and I think he has a workable handicap mark of 134. That may be 14lb higher than when winning at Taunton but he bolted up there and this smart Group winner on the Flat has had a breathing operation in the summer, after choking on his final two starts last season. May need this to put him spot on but I can see him doing well this season, albeit on better ground.

14:50 Wetherby - Tidal Bay

This is a prep race for the Hennessy or the Betfair Chase. Finished third in this race when trained by Howard Johnson in 2010, after which he finished a cracking second to Imperial Commander in the Betfair Chase, and he ran well in a handicap hurdle for me on his reappearance last season too, So this is a good starting point for him. And I have to tell you that his runaway win the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in April was one of the highlights of last season for me, coming on the heels of Sanctuaire's breathtaking win earlier on the card.

15:00 Down Royal - Cristal Bonus

Meets some race-fit rivals and a decent horse in Bog Warrior, but we like Cristal Bonus and he comes here in good form and is fit enough to do himself justice. He was very impressive in his first two starts at Chepstow and Kempton, before running no sort of race in the Jewson. But he suffered an abscess after that run, which explained the poor showing, and he rounded off the season with a good second to Menorah at Aintree. Has won on good ground and goes well enough in it, but the softer the better for him here.

15:10 Ascot - Poquelin

The handicapper is taking his time about dropping him down the weights, so Harry takes 7lb off. Is getting on a bit now at 9yo and is probably on the downgrade more than a mark of 166 implies, but he has run well fresh before, notably when second to Monet's Garden in the Old Roan two seasons ago, so let's see how he fares over 3m on soft ground. The longer trip may suit him better now he has lost a bit of his speed.

Join Together

Disappointed badly at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals but I have not given up on this horse yet. Not by a long way. Has had a breathing operation in the summer and if he can return to the form of his 12 length defeat of Mossley at Cheltenham last season - or maybe improve upon it now his wind has hopefully been corrected - then I think he could be fairly treated off 151. Trip and ground should be fine, and I think he will run well.

15:25 Wetherby - Silviniaco Conti

BBC Breakfast were here on Thursday morning and I think I said to them that he is one of the most promising youngsters in the yard. And he is, judging on his Feltham second and his wide-margin win at Aintree. Has done plenty of work for this and is plenty fit enough, but he is a typical Dom Alco in that he is not a flashy worker and is a hard horse to gauge and get a handle on at home. And I honestly think this is a horse who will progress with his racing throughout the season. Even though there are only six runners this is a tough race, so defeat won't be a disaster by any means, but he is clearly one of the horses I am most looking forward to this season.

15:45 Ascot - Criqtonic

Is another of mine to have had a breathing operation the summer, so the usual comment applies. He could need the run. We only got one into him after he joined us from France last season and that second in a three runner race told us little, but we will hopefully see a more accomplished horse this season. A mark of 133 appears harsh on what he has shown to date, though.

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