Dildar highlight of Nicholls treble
Paul Nicholls added another juvenile hurdler to his ever-expanding spring collection as not-so-dark horse Dildar made a winning debut under Ruby Walsh at Taunton.
The fact Dildar was just 10-1 with some bookmakers for the JCB Triumph Hurdle would be partly based on his trainer's past performance in the Cheltenham race as well as on the gelding's flashy Flat form in France, but his reputation was on the line in the Bravo Company 40 Commando Royal Marines Novices' Hurdle.
Those odds remained essentially unchanged after he beat Sew On Target by a length and a quarter, even if he did it decisively enough in the end. Fourth when a pacemaker in Pour Moi's Derby trial last May, Dildar's main task will be to brush up his jumping as he was a shade hesitant at most of the flights.
Nicholls said of the 8-15 favourite: "It's tacky ground out there and we can get his jumping right at home on better ground. He'll need another run, so will go straight to the Adonis at Kempton. This is the only one that needs another run now.
"Hinterland has the option of the Fred Winter, then Ranjaan has that and the Triumph, and there's the Triumph for Pearl Swan. There's also the option to run some in the other novice races at Cheltenham and I've got Dodging Bullets to come, who might come here on February 9."
Dildar was the first leg of a Nicholls and Walsh three-timer and was quickly followed up by the 2010 Fred Winter winner Sanctuaire (13-8 favourite).
He has gained an increasingly exasperating reputation over hurdles, being unruly at the start as well as on the gallops, but was a revelation at a different discipline and left his rivals toiling in the Charlie Company 40 Commando Royal Marines Novices' Chase.
Nicholls said: "That will have done him the world of good both mentally and physically. Once he jumps off, he's very obviously a tool. We train him on his own and he was a bit guessy at jumping, but that can improve. I did put him in the Arkle but I think he'd be at his best around Aintree. I could run him in the Kingmaker at Warwick now, or find another small race."
Ted Spread went off the 5-4 favourite for the Delta Company 40 Commando Royal Marines Handicap Hurdle. Group class on the level for Mark Tompkins and second to Grumeti on his Nicholls debut at this course a month ago, he came up trumps by seven lengths.
Nicholls said: "Mark was very helpful when I got him and I think the owners just wanted him to go to a jumping yard. It was bad ground last time and I think he can still improve a bit. He might end up in the boys' race at Cheltenham or maybe the County Hurdle."
31 January 2012
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