Paul Nicholls: 'Frodon will love the ground and Greaneteen's had a great prep'

Paul Nicholls has proved saddling big-race winners in Ireland is far from an impossible task and is hoping to bring home more silverware when Frodon and Greaneteen contest two of the leading races at the Dublin Racing Festival this weekend.

The Ditcheat trainer has been successful with his last three runners in Ireland, with Clan Des Obeaux (Punchestown Gold Cup), Bob And Co (Champion Hunters Chase) and Frodon (Champion Chase), and Leopardstown’s big meeting has been on his radar for several months.

Frodon was on Tuesday cut to 5-2 joint favourite (from 3-1) alongside last year’s winner Kemboy for Saturday’s Irish Gold Cup with race sponsors Paddy Power. The pair are among nine remaining entries for the €140,000 contest.

Leopardstown Saturday entries

The ten-year-old struck at the top level for a third time at Down Royal in October and Nicholls, who won the race aboard the David Barons-trained Playschool in 1988 and saddled Neptune Collonges to success in 2009, believes the Grade 1 could play to his strengths.

He said: “I said to [owner] Paul [Vogt] in the summer this could be a nice race for Frodon as we weren't really aiming to go to Cheltenham, so it was always in my mind this could suit him.

Frodon: disappointed in his King George defence but won on his last start in IrelandCredit: Mark Cranham

“These are big races in their own right and Frodon and Greaneteen are suitable horses to go for them. The ground is decent, which they like, and it's not a track that gets very testing. Paul and [Greaneteen's owner] Chris [Giles] are keen supporters of jump racing and love having runners in those good races.

"Frodon and Minella Indo have to put a disappointing run behind them – the King George just didn't unfold right for us on testing enough ground. Frodon is in good shape now and, as we saw at Down Royal, when he's right he’s very capable, so hopefully he can put up a performance like that again."

Dublin Racing Festival: confirmations for the eight Grade 1s plus an early tip

Greaneteen faced a near-impossible task giving 3lb to Shishkin on softer than ideal ground at Kempton last time, having previously recorded his second top-level win in the Tingle Creek, but ran creditably to finish a ten-length second.

He is 3-1 second favourite for the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase on Sunday, in which Chacun Pour Soi, who he beat at Sandown, heads the betting at 5-6. The Jonjo O’Neill-trained Sky Pirate is the only other potential British-trained runner.

Nicholls said: “I probably ran Greaneteen back a bit quick at Kempton but I'm making no excuses as he wouldn't have beaten Shishkin whatever happened. He ran very well all things considered and had a great preparation going into this.

"I was very pleased with how he jumped this morning and he's giving us a good feel. Both the races are competitive and they will take a lot of winning, especially on Ireland's home ground.

"Our last three runners have won over there, and two of them were Grade 1s, so we like going, but you just want to go with horses where they can win. It's not a case of going to Ireland to beat the Irish, they are just suitable races for them on the right track and conditions."

Leopardstown Sunday entries

Pic D’Orhy could provide Nicholls with a Grade 1 closer to home this weekend as he is 9-4 second favourite for the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

"He's in good shape and good ground is perfect for him,” said Nicholls. “He'll need to concentrate on his jumping, that's his chink in his armour a little, but he jumped very well and won nicely at Ascot."

Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (3.15 Leopardstown, Saturday)

Sponsors: 5-2 Kemboy, Frodon, 11-4 Minella Indo, 4 Asterion Forlonge, 11 Mount Ida, 14 Delta Work, 16 bar

Labrokes Dublin Chase (1.50 Leopardstown, Sunday)

Sponsors: 5-6 Chacun Pour Soi, 3 Greaneteen, 9-2 Captain Guinness, 12 Dunvegan, 16 bar

Read more:

Dublin Racing Festival: confirmations for the eight Grade 1s plus an early tip

Honeysuckle and Galopin Des Champs among star names set for Leopardstown

'He's retained all his enthusiasm' – Frodon team relishing Irish Gold Cup test

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