Nicholls in no rush with Denman

Gold Cup winner may yet skip Cheltenham warm-up

Last updated: 30th January 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Kauto Star Paul Nicholls holds Gold Cup Denman Neptunes Collonges

Nicholls with Denman

Related links

Also see

Paul Nicholls insists he will not rush Denman back into action if the ground remains soft in the run-up to Cheltenham.

Last year's Gold Cup hero could return to Prestbury Park without the benefit of a run in the 12 intervening months after a heart problem kept him off the track before Christmas.

And while the nine-year-old is closing on a comeback run the Ditcheat maestro is keen to do what is best for the horse, and he could bypass all the trials if conditions are not right.

"We could do with a dry spell and we will have to see what the weather does," he said.

"Denman is entered in Ireland on the Sunday - I don't really want to go there and I suppose there is the Ascot Chase or coming to Wincanton for the CGA Chase.

"So there are a couple of options, but if he were to go straight to the Gold Cup without a run, so be it."