Ladbrokes Christmas Festival: Paul Nicholls stable tour

Paul Nicholls hopes his plan that has been 12 months in the making will come to fruition on Boxing Day for Bravemansgame, who he insists is ready for his life ahead of what he feels will be his toughest test in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.

The Ditcheat handler will be triple handed in his bid to secure a record-extending 13th success in the Grade One feature with both stablemates Hitman, and 2020 winner Frodon joining the seven year-old, who is the 6-4 Favourite with race sponsor Ladbrokes.

Speaking at a media event organised by The Jockey Club on Thursday, Nicholls provided the inside track on his three Ladbrokes King George VI Chase contenders, as well as his other potential runners at Kempton's two-day Ladbrokes Christmas Festival.

Nicholls also confirmed that Harry Cobden would ride Bravemansgame with Sam Twiston-Davies partnering Hitman and Bryony Frost will continue her association with Frodon, provided she makes it back in time from a recent spell on the sidelines.

He said: “Harry will ride Bravemansgame, Sam Twiston-Davies will ride Hitman and Bryony will ride Frodon assuming she is fit, if not Lorcan Williams will ride Frodon. He is sitting there as a first reserve.

“Lorcan rode Hitman last season but Sam has won big races for Ged (Mason) and Sir Alex (Ferguson). Harry, at the moment, wouldn’t get off Bravemansgame to get on Hitman as he has won those Grade Ones on him and he is very happy to ride him.

“He only wouldn’t ride him if he didn’t run. Hopefully everything goes right next week and we look forward to the big day. If it is good to soft ground or soft ground it will be perfect.

Race: Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (December 26).

“He looks in good shape and we have had a great preparation with him.

“He went to the Charlie Hall and he was probably ready enough to run as he did but he wasn’t fully wound up. He travelled well and jumped well and won nicely.

“We have done a lot with him since then as we want him ready for his life a week on Monday. He has had a great preparation and looks fantastic. He has got plenty of condition on him.

“He used to go a little bit light on us after Christmas but we found out he had problems with ulcers but we are on top of that now. We have changed the feed this season which has been big plus all across the board and the horses look great.

“Scott (Marshall, work rider) loves him and he is very happy with him as well. We have done everything we need to do pretty well and we will just keep on ticking over.

“He won at Kempton last year and the track suits him well, a flat right-handed track. “I’ve always thought this would be Bravemansgame target ever since he won the Kauto Star last year. He has always been prepared for it.

“It probably is his toughest test as he gone through his novice races and he has won his first race out of novice company this year. He is now into the big boys league in the biggest race there is over Christmas.

“Bravemansgame probably deserves to be favourite as he has won this year and he has won the Kauto Star around the track and he seems to be progressing but at the end of the day they don’t know what price they are.”

Race: Ladbrokes Play "1-2-Free" On Footbal Handicap Chase (December 27).

"Danny Kirwan and Kapcorse could run in the good three mile chase."

Race: Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (December 26).

“He won the race two years ago but he is not getting any younger. He was never right last season after he ran at Down Royal but a lot of ours were not right in the spring. He got injured in the Ultima as he got jumped into.

“He had a nice break came back and won the Badger Ales Chase at Wincanton. I ran him too soon in the Betfair Chase but we went up there to pick up some prize money.

“He will have a nice gap between Haydock Park and Kempton and he never stops surprising you at his age. Whether he has got the legs of the younger horses is debatable but he will be there or thereabouts but he will give Bryony a fantastic ride.

“He has been there done it and got the T-Shirt and he is certainly as good now as he has ever been but it would want to be a near career-best for him to win but you never know with him.

“You have to respect him as he is a previous winner of the race but he has got plenty to do against those younger lads as he is 10 going on 11 but look at Kauto Star - he won it as an 11 year old.”

Race: Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (December 26).

“Gelino Bello will have an entry (in the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase) at the five-day stage as well. He is more likely to go to Warwick on January 14th for the Hampton Novices’ Chase that Threeunderthrufive won.

“He has jumped better than we thought and he has been very assured and clever.”

Race: Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (December 26).

“Hitman is rated 160 which is only four pounds beyond Bravemansgame which isn’t a long way. He has been placed in a Tingle Creek, Haldon Gold Cup and other Grade One races and he is only six years old.

“Clan (Des Obeaux) won the King George for the first time as a six year old rated 160 so he is on the right sort of lines. He was always going to improve as he got stronger and better and he has achieved a lot for a young horse.

“He ran well in the Old Roan the first time when needing the run. He ran very well at Haydock the last day just having a canter round but he jumped brilliantly. I think three miles will bring plenty of improvement in him. You can see he is a fine big chaser.

“A lot of people question his resolution as he was second so many times but he was only a young horse. We have just been minding him a little bit but now we think he is the finished article.

“It is the unknown (going three miles), of course it is. We know Bravemansgame gets the three miles well at Kempton, and he hasn’t yet but he got the trip well at Haydock the other day and I think he is crying out for this trip.

“I think up to now he probably hasn’t been man enough or strong enough to get the trip but he is ready now.”

Race: Ladbrokes Fanzone "Your Team Your Game" Handicap Hurdle (December 26).

“On the first day Ivaldi, and possibly Irish Hill, will run in the two mile five handicap hurdle."

Race: Ladbrokes Fanzone "Your Team Your Game" Handicap Hurdle (December 27).

"There is a two mile handicap hurdle the second day that Kandoo Kid will run in.”

Race: Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (December 26).

“He won at Exeter first time nicely then won the Grade Two very well at Newbury the other day beating Thyme Hill. He jumped fantastically well and we always thought he would be a great chaser.

“He loves Kempton and won the re-staged EBF Final there and the Relkeel Hurdle there. A flat track, right-handed like this, is made for him. The Kauto Star will be a great race for him. He has took to jumping fences well. He is an exciting horse to run at the meeting.

“He was going to go chasing last season but he had a setback. It was probably the best thing that ever happened to him even though he is eight going on nine.

“This time last season I wouldn’t have been confident about him chasing but those few extra runs over hurdles have done him the world of good. He looks really assured now. When Harry got off him the other day he said that was the best he has ever felt.

“He will be at the top level for two or three seasons and with a bit of luck he might be joining them in the King George next season. We’ve always thought he might be a King George horse one day and that is what the owners have always dreamed of.”

Race: Ladbrokes Long Walk Hurdle (December 26).

“We will run Miranda in the Long Walk. She was going to go to the original race at Ascot on Saturday. She won at Kempton very well last time and the flat track there suits her well."

Race: Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices' Chase (December 27).

“Monmiral will have an entry in the Wayward Lad but would probably only run there if it is soft. He is more than likely to go for the Dipper over two and a half miles at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. I might stick Solo in that as well."

Race: Ladbrokes "We Play Together" Novices' Hurdle (December 26).

“Rubaud will go for the two mile novices’ hurdle. It will be a tasty race but we need to find out where we are. He has won two from two and I’m sure Nicky will run a good one and there will be other good ones in it. He is a progressive nice horse and we like him.

Race: Ladbrokes "We Play Together" Mares' Handicap Hurdle (December 27).

“There is a nice mares’ handicap hurdle on the second day that Sabrina could run in."