Can Paul Nicholls' bumper star make a winning start to hurdling career in Persian War?

The obvious place to start is with Captain Teague, who is a shade of odds-on based on an excellent third behind A Dream To Share and Fact To File in last season's Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.

The fact Paul Nicholls is happy to start him in Grade 2 suggests he has schooled adequately at the very least, but it is a very different approach to the race for the champion trainer, who has won this eight times since the turn of the century.

Nicholls' first two winners of the race, Valley Henry in 2000 and Elusive Dream in 2007, were having their first and second runs over hurdles, but since then he has relied on more experienced novices who either did not win in their first season over hurdles or won from February onwards and thus retained their novice status until the beginning of November.

Hell's Bay (2008) was tackling obstacles for the fourth time, as was 2010 winner Silviniaco Conti. Wonderful Charm, winner in 2012, was hurdling for the seventh time, while El Bandit (2016), Secret Investor (2018) and McFabulous (2020) were jumping for the sixth, eighth and fifth times respectively.

That would suggest, in Nicholls' eyes at least, experience over hurdles is an important attribute for the Chepstow prize. Captain Teague may well just possess a big class edge – he was the standout British performer at Cheltenham and the only one to finish in the first 11 in the Champion Bumper – but since he started training Nicholls is just three from 21 with horses having their first run over hurdles in Graded company and the favourite is worth taking on here.

Second favourite Rock House, trained by Nicholls' protege Dan Skelton, has just one run and one easy win to his name over hurdles last month and those with more experience on their side here include Mullinaree, who has ten starts over hurdles and is seeking a sixth consecutive win, and Della Casa Lunga, who was bought from Ireland by owner/trainer Clive Boultbee-Brooks for £150,000 back in May and was last seen finishing second at the Punchestown festival to the twice-placed in Grade 1 company Sandor Clegane.

Ground and weather

The ground is good to soft on the hurdles track, but that could change. Clerk of the course Elizabeth O'Flaherty said: "We're forecast 15-20mm of rain overnight into tomorrow morning, and then from 2pm onwards we're forecast further rain. We were forecast 4-8mm yesterday and in the 24 hours we got 18mm. So it is currently good to soft, but if we get the upper end of the forecast and then they open it up and we get more, the ground will get slower."

What they say

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Captain Teague
This is a tough race to pitch him in on his debut over hurdles but he is smart, was our leading bumper horse last season, finishing third in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham. It's encouraging he won his point-to-point before joining us, he's done plenty of schooling and home and is a solid jumper at home. He was a bit difficult to train last winter as he suffered from sore shins at times but this year he is more of a man. All of our runners on this card have done plenty of work and look fit. I'm very happy with his preparation.

Stuart Coltherd, trainer of Cold Sobar
He's fit and ready to go. As long as the rain comes, and it looks like there's plenty coming on the forecast, I'd like to think he'll run a big race.

Joe Tizzard, trainer of Lord Of Thunder
I'm chucking him in the deep end to start, but he's a nice horse at home and he ran well in an Irish point-to-point. I'm not expecting him to shake up the favourites, but I don't expect him to finish last either.

Milton Harris, trainer of Mullinaree
I think some of these might be better horses going forward. But he's battle-hardened, he knows how to race, he's fit, healthy and well, we're very happy with him. He just keeps winning. Paul's [Nicholls, trainer of Captain Teague] horse might be a better long-term prospect but I know mine is revved up and ready. This is an important day for my horse, he's only a novice over hurdles for a few more weeks and then we'll go chasing. He'll go on any ground and he's a little unlucky as if the rain hadn't come it might have cut up a little more.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Rock House
He's in really good form, the ground doesn't matter to him and he has a run under his belt, which I've always wanted to do before this race. I think he'll go very well.

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