Betfair Chase ‘favourite’ option for Caldwell Potter

Paul Nicholls is favouring the Betfair Chase for Caldwell Potter after a lack of rain this week ended any hope of an early-season outing at Newton Abbot.

After ending last season on a high with victories at both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree, the Ditcheat handler had toyed with the idea of starting off the grey in an intermediate he has enjoyed plenty of success in down the years with the likes of Bravemansgame and Pic D’Orhy.

However, it will be Blueking d’Oroux who represents Nicholls at Newton Abbot on Saturday following a dry week, with the 14-time champion trainer now looking towards Haydock or a run in the Paddy Power Gold Cup a week prior for Caldwell Potter to kick start his new campaign.

Nicholls said: “I was a bit nervous without a bit of rain coming, even though Newton Abbot have done a good job watering, and to be honest we worked them all this morning and we think two or three more weeks won’t do him any harm.

“He’ll have entries for the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Betfair Chase. We would be slightly favouring the Betfair Chase, but no decisions have definitely been made yet.

“The Betfair Chase would give him a few extra weeks and we’ll have a look and see what’s entered in what and see, but he’s in good shape.

“If we had got plenty of rain this week and the ground was genuinely good to soft or soft after rain then we would have gone to Newton Abbot and it would have been nice timing before Haydock, but he goes well fresh so it’s not a problem.”

Nicholls has made no secret of the regard he holds the dual Grade One winner, who was subject to a lofty €740,000 transfer fee in early 2024 and represents some of his most loyal owners including former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

The seven-year-old ignited Cheltenham Gold Cup dreams when dazzling in the colours of the late John Hales during his poignant victories at the back-end of last season and Nicholls feels a trip to Haydock for a race he has won a record six times could provide further clues to where his future truly lies.

“He finished last year well, but now he has to take the next step up the ladder and see where we end up,” said Nicholls.

“There is no point making too many predictions and he’ll tell us when we run him. My thoughts about running in the Betfair Chase is that at least we will have an idea if he truly does stay three miles and if he can run at that level over a trip.

“But he’s not slow and well capable of running over a little bit shorter, so all irons are in the fire and it will be one of Cheltenham or Haydock where he runs and if you said to me which is favourite then it is probably the Betfair Chase.”