Nicholls: Everything right for Denman

Paul Nicholls hopes Denman can erase the memory of his defeat at the Cheltenham Festival last year by taking top honours in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Chase tomorrow.

The strapping seven-year-old has been a red-hot favourite for the contest for

some time and is unbeaten in four runs over fences this season.

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"He has been around Cheltenham, jumps well and the ground will suit,"

Nicholls said. "We are looking forward to this and everything has been A1 with

his preparation."

Denman warmed up for the race by scoring impressively at Newbury last month

and carries a deal of confidence from the Ditcheat yard, with stablemate Turko

also expected to go well.

"In addition to Denman, we have another Royal & SunAlliance Chase hope in

Turko, who is in seriously good order," Nicholls told Teletext.

"He would like the ground to dry out, but has won three out of four chase

starts and is a lively outsider."

Crack Irish mare Cailin Alainn was seeking a seven-timer when ending up on the

deck in Cheltenham's Letheby And Christopher Chase last time.

The Charles Byrnes-trained charge was in the process of running a big race

against totesport Gold Cup-bound Exotic Dancer, however, and was still in

contention before bowing out at the third last fence.

"She's settled in OK over here and we're hoping for a big run from her,"

said Byrnes.

"She seems back to her best and preparations have gone OK - I've been happy

enough with her over the past couple of weeks anyway.

"She won't mind the ground tomorrow and it's a good race, but we'll hope for

the best and she was running a big race last time."

Sir Robert Ogden owned last year's hero Star De Mohaison and launches a double

raid with Ungaro and According To John this time around.

The former had not been a certain runner but after delighting trainer Keith

Reveley, connections elected to give it a go with the ground continuing to

improve.

"I walked the course yesterday and was pleasantly surprised," explained

Barry Simpson, Ogden's racing manager.

"I'd read various reports and I was expecting it to be much softer ground,

although I think it will be quite tiring still.

"Therefore it swayed us into running him and the trainer is very keen. Keith

reports he did an exceptional piece of work yesterday so we should take note of

that."

Ungaro has not been seen since lifting the Grade One Feltham Novices' Chase,

in which According To John finished a well-beaten fourth.

"Ungaro ran on quite strongly at Kempton and my only reservation has always

been the course itself," Simpson continued.

"He's run well round there before but he's not a big horse and they are

pretty big fences for him. If the ground had been testing it would not have been

in his favour jumping out of it."

According To John has failed to fire on his last two starts, but Simpson

expects better tomorrow.

"The last two performances of According To John have not been the horse we

think he is," he explained.

"He does want a stiff test and again Nicky Richards has been pleased with his

preparation and I think he has a good chance of finishing in the first four.

"We see him more as a horse for next season in the big staying chases, but I

believe he'll run well as prior to Kempton I thought he and Ungaro were of a

similar rating."

Gazza's Girl lines up for the Jessica Harrington stable and bids to get back

to winning ways after finishing behind tomorrow's rival Snow Morning last time

out.

Of that defeat, Harrington said: "We take him on at 2lb better off and

hopefully she will stay on.

"Barry said if we run in anything it has got to be the SunAlliance as she

needs three miles plus to bring out the best in her."