Paul Nicholls aiming Bravemansgame at Rising Stars Novices' Chase at Wincanton as trainer waits on rain
Bravemansgame won Grade One Challow Hurdle last season before finishing in the places at Cheltenham and Aintree; Paul Nicholls' star going chasing this season but will skip Chepstow's jump season opener next month
Monday 6 September 2021 16:28, UK
Paul Nicholls has highlighted Wincanton as an early season target for exciting novice chaser Bravemansgame.
The Grade One Challow Hurdle winner proved to be one of the hottest young stars in the Nicholls yard last season, winning three in a row before finishing in the places at Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring.
Nicholls is reluctant to take the six-year-old back to Chepstow's jump season opener next month, where he won on his hurdles debut last year, and will instead aim for the Grade Two Rising Stars Novices' Chase in early November.
"He's in really good shape and has always jumped well as he's run in a point-to-point," Nicholls told Sky Sports Racing.
"We look forward to running him when the ground changes.
"We're not going to run him at Chepstow like we did last year, we'll wait until we get plenty of rain and better ground.
"Something like the Rising Stars at Wincanton would suit him well."
The champion trainer has been boosted by the arrival of a number of new horses, including some established stars belonging to owner Andrew Brooks.
"They're working hard and have all had a little school," Nicholls said. "Gavin [Sheehan] came down and sat on them last week.
"They've settled into the routine and it's just a matter of getting them fit and finding races for them. I wouldn't think too many of them would be ready before mid-November.
"Rouge Vif and Saint Calvados will have to go in those better races. Simply The Betts I don't know that much about but I suppose he'll run in a handicap.
"I'm very pleased with Lalor. The first thing we did was give him a breathing operation.
"He's had a couple of easy years, not having too many hard races, so if we could just get him back to form then there will be a nice race in him.
"The Paddy Power Plate will be his first entry. If he's got anything left of his old ability then we want to run off the mark he's got now. We'll be aiming to have him ready for the run of his life that day."
