No place like home for Bravemansgame, says Nicholls

PA Sport Reporters
December 18, 2023 4:19 pm

Kempton Park is a happy hunting ground for defending King George hero.

Paul Nicholls remains confident Bravemansgame will put up a staunch defence of his crown in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park next week.

The eight-year-old was a brilliant 14-length winner of the Boxing Day showpiece last season, but has had to make do with minor honours on each of his four subsequent starts.

Bravemansgame was best of the rest behind Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March and rounded off his season with a third-placed finish at Punchestown.

He has been beaten at odds-on in his first two outings of this season, in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby and the Betfair Chase at Haydock, but Nicholls feels that while his Gold Cup effort may have taken its toll, his star chaser is showing signs at home he is returning to his peak ahead of what the Ditcheat handler considers as a “home game”.

Ignite the afterburners! 🚀
Bravemansgame wins the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase – still unbeaten over fences 🥇

Watch LIVE📺 @ITV📱 https://t.co/fkQLQLtgFY pic.twitter.com/FOSTKjeUZ9
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 26, 2021

“Bravemansgame won the race last year and then the season before he won the Kauto Star (Novices’ Chase) around Kempton,” he said.

“He loves it there and it is the ultimate track for him. It is almost a home game for him in many ways.

“Whether the Gold Cup left a mark on him, I don’t know, and it could be that it has just taken a while to get him back. He worked as well as he could work on Saturday, and he looks good. We are looking forward to the King George.”

Harry Cobden celebrates winning the King George on Bravemansgame (John Walton/PA)

Lat season saw Bravemansgame head straight to the King George following victory in the Charlie Hall, and Nicholls was initially planning on taking the same route this term.

However, having suffered defeat in West Yorkshire, the champion trainer decided to take in the Betfair Chase – and while he was beaten again, he insists he has no regrets.

He added: “The thing is, it is easy to wrap all these horses in cotton wool, but he is a year older and it was a very valuable race at Haydock.

“We knew he would need the run at Wetherby and with Betfair putting all the money into it at Haydock you want to make it as competitive as you can, and it was an interesting race.

“He ran a good race, and he was bang there for three miles. Then Daryl (Jacob) just looked after him. He had only run three weeks before it and between the two races I had been a bit easy on him. It suits him being fresh and doing a lot of work.

“Bryan (Drew, owner) was very keen to go for the race. He owns him outright and you respect his wishes. Ultimately his target, and my target, since he came in has been Boxing Day and he is ready for it. ”

Bravemansgame will be joined in the King George field by his veteran stablemate Frodon, who claimed a popular victory in the race three years ago under Bryony Frost and was last seen finishing third when seeking a second win in the Badger Beer Handicap Chase at Wincanton.

“Frodon loves it around Kempton and he is in really good form. He is not getting any younger, but he will still run a good race,” said Nicholls.

Frodon will also run in the King George (Niall Carson/PA)

“He has been a great horse for us. He has come on from Wincanton where the ground went a bit soft and it didn’t quite work out.

“He has a huge task at the age of 11 against those younger legs, but he will still run a good race. He is a legend of a horse. It would be absolutely wonderful if he could finish third or fourth.”

On the same card Nicholls is planning to send Rubaud into battle against the mighty Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle.

The trainer admits his Elite Hurdle hero faces an “impossible task”, but he is happy to roll the dice.

It’s the Paul Nicholls show @wincantonraces🏇
Rubaud stays on powerfully to give his trainer a 9⃣th success in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle and a 4⃣th winner on a brilliant day for the Ditcheat team.
And that’s a treble for @CobdenHarry!@PFNicholls | @jenningsbetinfo pic.twitter.com/GegEqqAYIZ
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 11, 2023

He said: “His form is progressive, and he keeps on winning, but this another big step he has got to take. You can never be afraid of one horse they say, but Constitution Hill is a special horse.

“He will be a hard horse to beat, but we will give it our best shot and if we finish second we will be delighted.

“I don’t think there is any chink in Constitution Hill’s armour, and he will be ready for this. Rubaud won the Elite Hurdle well, but this will be an impossible task on what we have seen from Constitution Hill.”