PAUL Nicholls needs just one more win in the Gold Cup to become the equal leading trainer in the race, alongside Jim Dreaper on five wins.

The Ditcheat handler has probably held stronger hands going into the Festival blue riband but he sincerely believes Frodon, who gave him a record 12th win in the King George, is underrated by the markets for what would be a sensational achievement.

The son of Nickname will be making his 31st start and fourth Festival appearance, having already taken the Ryanair Chase in 2019. Speaking on a press Zoom call, organised by Jockey Club Racecourses, Nicholls issued a hopeful bulletin on the nine-year-old. “We ran him in last year’s Ryanair and he was completely outpaced all the way. We decided this year we would stay over a longer trip. We were debating a couple of years ago (going for the Gold Cup). When he won the Cotswold Chase (2019) that gave me the idea one day he could run in it.

“Paul (Vogt, owner) has always wanted to have a runner in the Gold Cup which hopefully he is going to have this year. He is going to be a bit more of a livelier runner than we thought. We’ve been very lucky to win the Gold Cup four times with Kauto Star, Denman and See More Business. It’s been a fantastic race and I’d love to win it again.”

Nicholls brought many of his Cheltenham string for a work day at Wincanton on Tuesday morning and reported Frodon and Bravemansgame were two who stand out.

The 11-time champion trainer has 46 Festival wins to his name and could be triple-handed in his bid to win a seventh Champion Chase, and become the outright leading trainer in that two-mile contest. He issued a positive bulletin on Politologue and many of his Festival team below.

It was also interesting to hear the Ditcheat handler’s response when asked about the likes of Envoi Allen moving to a new yard so late in the day with regard to Cheltenham. He said: “You wouldn’t want to be changing a horse’s diet so close to Cheltenham. It would have a massive impact, it wouldn’t be increasing your chances. You’d almost want to be on the same hay, the same feed, the same diet. People do things so totally different.

“I had quite a lot of horses come to us from Willie’s (Mullins) this year and it’s taken them the best part of a year to get used to our routine. It would have been the same the other way round.

“It is quite a shock for the horses. It’s not going to be an advantage moving so close to Cheltenham, that’s for sure.”

Tuesday

Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

Hell Red

Hell Red won very nicely at Chepstow at the start of the season and looked very promising on decent ground but then he went to Cheltenham on softer ground and after a mile he was choking.

He had a breathing problem so he had a breathing operation and I had to get a run into him somewhere, so he went to Wincanton two weeks ago on very heavy ground. He ran okay, he needed the run, and when I saw he was 3/1 on in the morning I thought ‘I can’t believe this’ because I said in my Betfair column that he’d probably need the run.

He ran really tidily, and he got dropped 3lbs for that which was a bonus actually. He was 134 and is now 131 and he’s done a lot of graft since and still has got a lot of hard work. If the ground was good to soft that would be perfect for him and he’s definitely there with a chance.

Houx Gris

Houx Gris was third in a Grade 1 (on his yard debut at Chepstow in January) and ran very well in very heavy ground. He won at Auteuil the time before that and although Auteuil was given as heavy ground that day – which they always do – it wasn’t that bad. He ran really nicely (at Chepstow) and I probably ran him a bit too quick after we bought him. This is obviously a nice race for him off 128. He galloped nicely this morning, and I’d say he’s got a nice chance, he’s a lovely horse.”

Wednesday

Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle

Bravemansgame

He’s always been really progressive, right from the start of the season when he was beaten a neck by Soaring Glory, who won the Betfair Hurdle last weekend. I was impressed that day by the fact that Harry (Cobden) could hardly pull him up afterwards, and he ran green and jumped green and my God did he improve.

Each run he’s got better and better and that culminated in him winning the Challow Hurdle at Christmas. He was really strong at the back of the last and stayed on strong, so this is the obvious race for him. He worked nicely this morning and I’m very happy with him and his preparation.

He’s a very relaxed horse, he’s not keen. At Newbury we just kept it simple because we knew he jumped and stayed, but a good strong pace suited him well. He’s a good ride and a class horse.

It’s a hard race to win, years ago Denman was beaten in the race. But we think he’s got a great chance and he’s a lovely horse for the future.

Challow Hurdle winner Bravemansgame has "seriously progressed" this season \ Healy Racing

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

Next Destination

He’s a horse who had the best part of two and a half years off when he joined us and he ran very well over hurdles at Wetherby. He’s had two chase runs, both in Grade 2 races and won his debut over fences in a Grade 2 at Newbury and jumped great.

Then he won at Warwick the other day, which was a bit sharp for him but he stayed on strong. He’s got bundles of stamina and the softer the ground the better for him.

He’s a very smart horse, and obviously Monkfish is going to be very hard to beat on all known form, but you never worry about one or two in novice races at Cheltenham, a lot can happen and you’ve got to jump well. He’s got it all to do, but he’s in there with a right chance, especially if the ground is soft.

We’ll talk about the National Hunt Challenge Cup. He’s in that race because he stays very strongly and Harry (Cobden) can ride him now.

We really want to run him in the Brown Advisory, and he’ll run there if it’s soft, but we’ll make a firm decision at the five-day stage.

Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

Politologue, Greaneteen and Duc Des Genievres

I love this race. It’s a fantastic race and I’ve been very lucky to have some fantastic horses win it. Politologue winning last year was fantastic for him and for everybody connected with the horse and this year is his sixth Festival, which is amazing. If you could see him gallop this morning, he was very impressive, he comes good at this time of year and he’s in there with a chance.

I think it was a good run (at Ascot). The ground was probably testing enough for him that day, he’s slightly better on spring ground and it might be that Cheltenham just suits him very well. He’s a horse who gives his all, there were no excuses and he was beaten by a better horse on the day. He still ran to a very high level, which he will do in this race, and you know he’s solid, he’ll go a nice gallop and will give you a nice run for your money.

Politologue will defend his title in the Champion Chase \ Healy Racing

Obviously Willie’s horse (Chacun Pour Soi) looks very smart, but he’s not run at Cheltenham before and he’s got to act on the track. I don’t doubt that if he does, he’ll be hard to beat, but you should never be afraid of one and we’re going into it – being realistic – with a nice chance, but it’ll be hard.

Whatever happens, Harry Cobden rides Politologue and Bryony Frost will ride Greaneteen. Greaneteen is going to run as well. He ran a bit free in the Game Spirit at Newbury and carried a penalty, but was just a bit free and a bit fresh. He’s a horse that if they go fast around there could run into a place. I’m not expecting him to win but he deserves to take his place.”

Duc Des Genievres won the Arkle two years ago and has run some tidy races this year. I feel he’s just shy of a Grade 1 horse and we have to decide if he runs in this or runs in the Grand Annual. He seems to be coming together now and he would probably want some slightly better ground.

Thursday

Marsh Novices’ Chase

Hitman

Hitman is an interesting one. I wanted to run him last Saturday at Kempton but couldn’t because of the ground. He’s also entered at Newbury this weekend and again the ground is an issue. In the back of my mind is the fact that in a perfect world I’d probably run him at the weekend and then go to Aintree for the two-and-a-half-mile novices’ chase there, but if I miss this weekend for whatever reason, I could be tempted to have a look at this. I think it could cut up a bit with Envoi Allen and people might dodge him – so Hitman is still a possible in my mind, depending on whether we go on Saturday or not.”

Ryanair Chase

Real Steel

He ran very well in last year’s Gold Cup. Obviously they didn’t go a great gallop and he travelled into it and looked like he might win going to the last, but didn’t stay up the hill. He’s not a stayer, and I think this trip is right for him.

He worked beautifully this morning when we took him away (to Wincanton), which was a really good sign and he looks good in his coat at the moment. He ran in the King George at Christmas and if you watch the race he jumped the last down the back going really well and travelled into the straight looking like he was going to be involved and then stopped. It transpired that he bled, which has been a bit frustrating, but we’ve got him over that and he looks good.

We’ve changed our routine with him, and we’ve got him right. He goes into the race with a chance.

Friday

McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle

Thyme White

Thyme White ran a really tidy race in the Betfair the other day and coming to the last he looked dangerous. He hadn’t run for a long time and he obviously needed the run but he has obviously sharpened up a lot for that.

If it was a nice dry week and it was goodish ground on the last day that would suit him well. He could run well. The key to him, like when he won at Musselburgh last year, is that he loves good ground. My view was always to get a run into him at Newbury, run him in this if the ground was okay, if it was soft we might think twice about it. He will definitely be heading up to Ayr for the Scottish Champion Hurdle. That would be a good race for him.

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

Barbados Bucks

Andy (Stewart) has got some good young horses for the future and Barbados Buck’s is one of them. He has been really progressive this season. He is rated 143 now and his form keeps getting better. He has won his last three. The last day at Kempton he carried a 10lb penalty and he was strong from the back of the last and he won nicely.

He is a proper staying horse and you need something here that will stay forever and he would be right in that (mould). He worked nicely this morning. He is so laid back he will be absolutely fine (with the step up in class). We’ve progressed all along the lines with him.

Threeunderthrufive

He beat the horse that day (at Musselburgh) that Barbados Buck’s beat at Southwell (Fantastikas) which won at Fontwell on Sunday. They have got quite good form with him. He is unbeaten over hurdles but you wouldn’t know what is in the locker with him as he only just does enough. He goes along with his ears pricked, jumps well and he will definitely get every bit of the trip and is another with a nice chance. This is a nice horse.

WellChild Gold Cup

Frodon

I know his owner Paul (Vogt), who sadly lost his wife Ruth recently, is really proud to have a runner in the Gold Cup. It would be a massive boost if he ran well.

Frodon and Bryony (Frost) are a match made in heaven, they have gone a long way and there is definitely a rapport between them. At the start of the season he won that handicap at Cheltenham off top weight. That was a huge run and huge effort and I thought this is the season to do it (go for the Gold Cup). It suits him to make the running but he doesn’t have to make the running. When he has won some of those good handicaps at Cheltenham earlier on, especially over a shorter trip he got better the quicker they went – he got a bit of a lead and that suited him. He jumps his way into the race. You can ride him how you find him.

Frodon is out to do the King George-Gold Cup double \ Healy Racing

If the ground is better some of those horses that are a little bit more one-paced struggle a little bit. This horse has got plenty of boot and he can dictate things a bit. The ground helps him tactically. He doesn’t have to make the running but he loves being forward anyway.

Al Boum Photo is the horse to beat, without a shadow of a doubt as he is the class act. After that it is much of a muchness. A lot of the horses have beaten each other. We beat Santini in the King George and he is a shorter price than us in the Gold Cup which is something I don’t quite get.

Frodon is always underestimated a little bit but believe me he will give a good account of himself. We are glad to be in there and proud the horse has got to this point. We are really looking forward to him running.