Paul Nicholls: the inside track on my Friday runners

14-time champion trainer and Betfair Ambassador Paul Nicholls talks us through his runners at Aintree and Fontwell on Friday as he closes in on Martin Pipe’s National Hunt British winners record.

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13:15 Aintree: Below The Radar

I always thought he would be a better chaser. He fell on his only run at Taunton. With our new facility, I’ve been able to do a lot of schooling with him, and he has jumped very well. He’s got better and better and better, so I’m pleased with his jumping. He’s very fit and is in good shape ahead of this run. The trip is a little bit of a doubt, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he ran very well.

14:35 Fontwell: Paso Doble

His jockey Paddy Hanlon takes five pounds off this course and distance winner. He probably wants a bit further nowadays. He has been schooled over fences quite a bit but because of the ground I haven’t been able to run him. I wouldn’t rule him out running very well today.

15:00 Aintree: Rubaud

He ran very well at Carlisle in a Listed event, giving an incredible performance when he wasn’t on his ideal track. Now he goes back over fences in the rearranged Haldon Gold Cup on the kind of flat track he loves at Aintree. If you look at the weights, I think he’s about a stone better off with Mirabad for that run at Carlisle. I would not be surprised if he ran well, he’s done a lot of schooling, he jumps fences well and stays nicely. He’s definitely got a chance if he’s back to his best over fences.

He’s been an amazing horse for me. He won the Pendil Novices’ Chase, which is a Grade 2, then we went back over hurdles, because he loved the Kempton and Wincanton races. This is his first chance to run in a chase that I think he could win. He loves a small field, has a nice weight and, if he jumps well, and gets into a good rhythm he has definitely got a chance.

As for his rivals, I think JPR One had a hard race at Cheltenham the other day, but he is a good horse. And I get the impression Mirabad surprised them how well he ran at Carlisle. Perhaps Dan should be staying over hurdles with him. But joking aside, the Skeltons obviously thought that was a prep run for this race, and he has won at Aintree before, so he may be the one we have all got to beat.

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