Paul Nicholls announced himself a Cheltenham Festival force to be reckoned with in 1999 when he won the Arkle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup, but the real glory years came in the following decade. His Somerset yard then housed two of the greatest chasers of the modern era in Kauto Star and Denman, who between them handed Nicholls three consecutive Gold Cups from 2007 to 2009. Along with the likes of exceptional two-mile chaser Master Minded and legendary staying hurdler Big Buck’s, they helped Nicholls claim the leading Festival trainer award in five of the six years between 2004 and 2009. His returns at the meeting have waned a little since but he has trained at least one winner every year since 2003. Here are his best chances of keeping that unbroken run intact.
Politologue – Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
Champion Chase regular Politologue seized the two-mile crown at the third attempt last season, although his path to victory was partly cleared by the late withdrawal of Chacun Pour Soi, who is the red-hot favourite this time. He returned this season with a second victory in the Tingle Creek before losing out in a ferocious battle from the front with First Flow in the Clarence House at Ascot. Despite defeat there, he again displayed the resolution that has made him such a consistent performer at the top level. He faces a tough assignment but – unlike Chacun Pour Soi – he has plenty of Festival experience (five runs in all) and is not without hope of landing a record seventh victory in the race for his trainer.
Bravemansgame -Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
Bravemansgame’s win on his Grade 1 debut in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December pushed him to the top of the Ballymore market and prompted Nicholls to compare him to his legendary chaser Denman, who had won the race 15 years earlier. The Irish duo Bob Olinger and Gaillard Du Mesnil have since laid down challenges, but Bravemansgame’s Challow form is a match for anything achieved by that pair and he will line up as Nicholls’ best chance of a victory at this year’s Festival.
Frodon – WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup
Frodon and his jockey Bryony Frost have already made plenty of headlines, but if they combine to land the Gold Cup it will be front-page news. Frost became the first female to win a Grade 1 over jumps at the Festival when Frodon took the 2019 Ryanair Chase, one of six victories he has recorded at the track. Third in last season’s Ryanair, he stormed into the Gold Cup picture with a well-judged front-running win in the King George VI Chase over three miles at Christmas. He will have to beat dual winner Al Boum Photo in March, as well as a number of challengers who appear to be on an upward curve. But it is an open-looking race and the fact that Cheltenham brings out the best in Frodon will be enough to leave Nicholls dreaming of a first Gold Cup since the days of Denman and Kauto Star.
Barbados Buck’s – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Barbados Buck’s has progressed with each of his three victories this season and impressed when defying a 10lb penalty in a novice hurdle at Kempton in January, picking up powerfully after the last to brush his rivals aside. With those wins all over three miles, his stamina is assured. Add to that the fact he is relatively race-hardened – with seven career races behind him – and yet offers the promise of more to come, and he starts to look like the ideal type for a race his trainer is yet to win.
Next Destination – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
Next Destination was a decent hurdler for Willie Mullins, winning a pair of Grade 1 novices before switching to Nicholls after an injury-enforced absence of two-and-a-half years. He returned this season with a second over hurdles to high-class mare Roksana before a switch to fences yielded a pair of Grade 2 victories. For the second of those, he used his stamina to good effect to see off persistent challenges from his two closest pursuers – an asset that will stand him in good stead for a crack at Monkfish in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
Greaneteen – Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase or Ryanair Chase
Greaneteen’s only defeat in four outings as a novice last season came when he finished fourth in the Grand Annual at the Festival. He got back on the winning track with a victory in the Haldon Gold Cup on his reappearance and stepped up on that form significantly when second behind stablemate Politologue on his Grade 1 debut in the Tingle Creek at Sandown in December. He is a young and progressive horse and Nicholls has voiced reservations about pitching him into the Champion at this stage in his career, so the Ryanair may be his destination and, with a bit of improvement, he could make an impact in that contest.