SILVINIACO Conti will be seen next in the Betfair Ascot Chase on February 20.
The dual King George VI Chase winner was pulled up in the Kempton showpiece on St Stephen’s Day and will be having his first start since then, with a view to running at Aintree in April, although the Grand National appears unlikely, this year at least.
Trainer Paul Nicholls said: “He’s going to run in the Betfair Ascot Chase a week on Saturday, which is a little bit of a change of plan.
“He’s not in the Gold Cup, but although he’s in the World Hurdle, I don’t really want to go to Cheltenham with him.
“He’s potentially got two targets later in the season at Aintree. He’s got an entry in the National but that is only a tentative entry and he’s more than likely to run in the Bowl, the race he has won the last two seasons.
“Then he’ll go to Punchestown and the National could be something we look at in 12 months’ time.”
The champion trainer was speaking at a press morning ahead of Newbury’s Betfair Hurdle meeting this weekend.
He added: “He’s had a bit of a stop-start season, the problem with sarcoids (a common type of skin tumour affecting horses), but for the first time this season I am happy with him, as he is not in any pain from the sarcoids.
“It’s a Grade One race at Ascot and although it is two-five which is a bit short for him.
“He looks great at the moment and I am happy the sarcoids have healed up.”
Barry unsure over Blazer
BARRY Geraghty feels Blazer would face a much stiffer task if he runs in Saturday’s Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.
The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old returned to hurdles last weekend after failing to pull up any trees over fences and ran out a most impressive winner of a competitive handicap.
He picked up a 5lb penalty which improved his chances of making the cut, but his position in the race is still not certain and Geraghty thinks that although he is vying for favouritism, things will be tough.
“He enjoyed conditions and Blazer won well. It just may not have been that good a race,” he said.
“He handled conditions and he won well, and you can do no more than win, but the form may not be very strong.
“Blazer is entered in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury. If he gets into the race and if he takes his chance, he will be carrying a 5lb penalty in a far more competitive race, so that will obviously be more difficult.”
Keighley keen on changes
MARTIN Keighley feels the new conditions of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival will suit Any Currency.
Second to Rivage D’Or last March, he was giving 13lb to that rival but this year the race will be run at level weights.
Any Currency has become a specialist over the unique fences and has finished in the first four seven times, managing one win, but he disappointed last time he was seen there in December.
“I’ve put a line through his last run, a few of mine we weren’t quite right then and he was one of them,” said Keighley.
“He’ll go straight there now, nice and fresh.
“The new conditions should suit him, last year he was giving lumps of weight to the winner. It will also suit the likes of Balthazar King and Josies Orders but we’ll give it a go, he loves it there.”
Dodging bullets ready to fire
DODGING Bullets is set to make a belated seasonal reappearance in the Betfair Exchange Chase at Newbury on Saturday.
The eight-year-old, bred by Frankie Dettori, has been sidelined since winning the Champion Chase at Cheltenham last March.
However, he is now ready to return to action and trainer Paul Nicholls is happy with his condition ahead of the Grade Two contest, registered as the Game Spirit Chase.
“He’ll run on Saturday in the Game Spirit, he looks absolutely amazing and I am thrilled with him at the moment,” said Nicholls.
“Win, lose or draw he’ll improve for the run. I don’t think I have ever had him quite as fit and as well as I have before for his first run of the season.
“Last year he needed his first run and then he won three Grade Ones, he will have one run and go to Cheltenham at his very best having had just the one run.”
Nicky Henderson has three in the race – Captain Conan, Josses Hill and L’Ami Serge, who is a more likely runner in the Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick on Saturday.
