Paul Nicholls will head to Leopardstown next Sunday, bidding for Ireland’s biggest hurdling prize and still agonising over whether he should return a fortnight later with Denman. The champion trainer will make a late decision on the target for the 2008 Gold Cup winner - and he remains intent on rebutting all speculation about a new jockey.
Tony McCoy has denied being approached to ride Denman in the prospective third Gold Cup duel with Kauto Star but is strong favourite to inherit the mount if Ruby Walsh confirms his loyalty to the exalted stablemate.
Nicholls is anxious that the jockey issue does not become the subject of such confused messages as last year, before Sam Thomas retained the ride. “It’s completely up to me this time,” Nicholls emphasised. “People keep asking me but there’s nothing to say yet - it’s too far away.”
Walsh will partner Denman again next month, when Nicholls faces a dilemma between the Irish Hennessy on February 7 and the AON Chase six days later. “It’s not straightforward,” he explained. “Newbury has always been favourite but I could wait for that and find it gets abandoned.”
Nicholls and Walsh shared a double as jumping returned at Kempton on Saturday and they will team up twice at Leopardstown next Sunday. Take The Breeze runs in the Irish Arkle before Celestial Halo contests the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle. “I think he’ll love the track and it fits his schedule perfectly,” the trainer said.
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Spice will be added to the race today when Nicky Henderson supplements Zaynar, favourite for the Champion Hurdle and still unbeaten after five jumps races. Ironically, Henderson entered his other two Champion candidates for the Leopardstown race but now feels obliged to run Zaynar instead.
“It’s become very tricky,” he said. “We’ve got the Haydock trial next Saturday but I want Punjabi to go there as the track won’t suit Zaynar. Binocular is going to Sandown on February 6 so Zaynar will have to go to Ireland.”
In the absence of Go Native, who will now head straight to Cheltenham, the Irish defence will be led by Solwhit and Sublimity, first and second over course and distance at Christmas without British-based opposition.
Khyber Kim, a dark horse for the Champion Hurdle, remains on target for the totesport Trophy at Newbury, also a target for the progressive novice, Menorah. Philip Hobbs, his trainer, said: “He’s in at Taunton this week but won’t run. I had hoped to get two more runs into him before Cheltenham but it now looks like just the Newbury race.”
Micheal Flips, who ended a barren spell for his trainer, Andy Turnell, by winning the featured williamhill.com Lanzarote Hurdle on Saturday, is likely to miss the totesport Trophy and aim for the Coral Cup at Cheltenham.
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Later that month, the field for the Dubai World Cup could conceivably include Zenyatta after a dramatic change of heart by the owners of the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner. Two retirement parties had been held for the unbeaten mare but she is now back in full training in California.