PAUL NICHOLLS says Pic D’Orhy – the horse controversially removed from his yard by his owner – is ‘almost a certainty’ to win a ‘soft’ Charlie Hall Chase.
The 11-year-old was one of a number of .
He has been switched to Dan Skelton and makes his debut for the champion trainer in the 3m Grade 2 at Wetherby.
Pic D’Orhy was epic under Nicholls, banging in multiple Grade 1s at Ascot – and no one knows him better.
That’s what gives him such confidence in his chance of victory in the Charlie Hall at 11-8.
Nicholls runs 6-1 Twinjets – who will be ridden by Harry Cobden – and 11-1 Hitman in the race.
Speaking to Betfair , the legendary trainer, who is just eight shy of Martin Pipe’s win record, said: “I’ve won the Charlie Hall a lot of times with some good horses like See More Business, Silviniaco Conti and Bravemansgame.
“It’s been a great race. Are Hitman and Twinjets in the same league as them? I wouldn’t say so.
“Hitman was second in a Denman Chase on soft ground over three miles, so the trip is not a problem, and he loves good ground, but he’s got to give 4lb to all of the others.
“How he’ll ever give 4lb to Pic d’Orhy is impossible, I’d say.
“Twinjets has crept up the handicap. He’s been a good handicapper, he’s rated 152, but basically Pic d’Orhy will be very hard to beat, as last season he had a penalty, but this season he doesn’t because he didn’t win last year.
“And if you look at the advantage he has in the handicap, he’ll be very hard to beat, and almost a certainty.
“My only concern with him is I’m not convinced he’ll want the ground as fast as it is, but if Pic d’Orhy is on song, he’ll win.
“We’ve just got to do our best to try and put it up to him and some of the others, but it’s a good race and we’ll be doing our best.
“We had Pic d’Orhy since he was three years old and look at some of the races we’ve won with him.
“It’s the softest race he’s run in for a long time by far.
“He took on Jonbon last year and ran second in this race to a smart one from the Venetia Williams yard in Djelo.
“So you’d have to think he’ll be tough to beat if he’s on song, but we can only try. We’ve got a mountain to climb to beat him.”
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