Ptit Zig has ‘good opportunity’ at Kempton as Paul Nicholls seeks Listed gains
Friday 8 January 2016
Owner Barry Fulton hopes to see Ptit Zig put in a clear round of jumping in the three-runner williamhill.com Chase at Kempton on Saturday.
The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old is not far off the best around and pushed King George runner-up Vautour close two starts back at Ascot.
He then went to Huntingdon for the Peterborough Chase where he appeared to be coming off worse in a battle with Al Ferof when he fell at the last.
As low as 8-1 for the Ryanair Chase, Fulton wants to see if that should be his Cheltenham Festival target or whether he should be stepping up in trip.
He said: “He’s in good form and this looks a good opportunity.
“He obviously still needs a bit more experience as he fell last time out, so we need to get his jumping sorted.
“After this, I’d have thought we’d give him a little break.
“If he didn’t run, you’re then getting a bit close to Cheltenham and that is obviously where we’d like to end up.
“He’s quite high up in the betting for the Ryanair but I’d like to run him over three miles at some point.
“He’s a nice horse, I know he pushed Vautour fairly close at Ascot before his Huntingdon fall but I think we saw a different Vautour in the King George so I wouldn’t read too much into that.”
Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson teamed up to win the race two years ago with Captain Chris and rely upon the veteran Wishfull Thinking.
Hobbs’ horses remain in great form and after just being touched off in the Old Roan Chase on his return to action this season, he probably went off too fast in the Peterborough Chase last time out.
“There aren’t many races for horses like him and a small field like this should suit,” said Johnson.
“He seems in really good form at the moment, like all of Philip’s horses.
“Hopefully the ground at Kempton won’t be too bad.
“He’s no spring chicken, but on the ratings he looks to have a very strong chance.”
Nicky Henderson feels the ground will be too soft and the trip too short for 2013 Hennessy winner Triolo D’Alene, who will be having a first outing for 371 days, but the Seven Barrows handler will let him take his chance.
Henderson is desperate to get the nine-year-old’s season started, with the Grand National again his aim.
“We’re letting him run as he’s been ready to go for three or four weeks and we have to get him out somewhere,” said Henderson.
“He’s not really a soft-ground horse, but over two and a half miles it won’t be too difficult for him and at least we can get the run in.
“The National is what we’re aiming at with him and he needs match practice.”
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