Newbury option for Caldwell Potter if ground scuppers Betfair Chase plan
High-class chaser missed the whole of last season.
Newbury’s Coral Long Distance Hurdle has emerged as a possible option for Caldwell Potter’s long-awaited return if conditions at Haydock curtail an outing in the Betfair Chase on Saturday.
Trainer Paul Nicholls is eager to get a run into one of his leading lights, who was last seen winning at both the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals in the spring of 2025 before injury kept him sidelined for the whole of last season.
With alternatives over fences limited, Nicholls may be forced to revert the Grade One winner to timber the following week, for a race he won four years in a row with Big Buck’s between 2009 and 2012.
Nicholls said: “He won’t be at Haydock unless it rains. The ground is good at the minute and they are watering, but they will want a lot of rain as I wouldn’t want to risk him.
“If Newbury have the hurdles on the Flat track again and the ground is on the slow side of good or soft there, then I’ll run him over hurdles in the Grade Two. He needs a day out and a run and he needs to go left-handed so I haven’t many options.
“If he doesn’t go to Haydock, he’ll go to Newbury, but he’ll need the run.”
The 14-time champion is also hoping rain arrives in time to allow another of his star names, No Drama This End, to continue on his intended route to Sandown next month.
Nicholls wants toto run the Grade One-winning hurdler in the Esher Novices’ Chase after his recent Aintree chasing bow, confident of improvement on that early outing over the larger obstacles.
He added: “Sandown is where I want to go, but I’m not going to run him again on ground like the other day.
“I needed a run into him and Aintree won’t be lost on him. Hopefully we can get him out again soon, either at Sandown or somewhere else where the ground is slow.”
Also in the coming weeks, the Ditcheat handler will send Cheltenham Festival third Regent’s Stroll to Newbury for the Coral Gold Cup buoyed by the form boost provided by Ben Pauling’s Meetmebythesea at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Nicholls continued: “Regent’s Stroll has great form with the Paddy Power winner and was flat out that day (in the Jack Richards at the Festival) before staying on strongly up the hill.
“We’re really looking forward to running him in the Coral Gold Cup and I think he’s in really good shape.”