McCoy gets support from Nicholls

The 14-times champion jockey was riding the 10-year-old for the first time in the Aon Chase, with a view to getting to know the horse before the Festival.

All appeared to be going to plan before the turn for home, after which Denman made a costly blunder at the fourth-last fence. He then parted company with McCoy at the next fence.

The knives are out for both horse and jockey, but Nicholls is confident the pair will silence the doubters come March.

"AP did absolutely nothing wrong. I spoke to him this morning and told him not to think he'd done anything wrong," said Nicholls yesterday.

"I wouldn't let him sit on him at home as it's just the nature of the beast – he wouldn't be impressed. The mistake four out could have happened to anybody so AP will ride him at Cheltenham and you'll see a different horse.

"It's all about jumping and Denman made a mistake, but don't write him off and he'll be back at Cheltenham.

"He ate up last night and is 100 per cent sound this morning, which is good news.

"I was very happy with him until four out and the race went exactly how we thought it would.

"The mistake at the fourth-last cost him his chance and it's as simple as that. He landed awkwardly, went out to the left, and the race was over then.

"There are a couple of things to remember – he's a month off being anywhere near as good as he was in the Hennessy, both mentally and physically.

"And it was a trial, not the real thing.

"I think you'd have found yesterday that if he'd jumped the fourth-last, he would have picked up and gone on and won the race."

Denman was universally eased by the bookmakers for the Gold Cup. Coral eased the 10-year-old out to 7-2 for the showdown against his stablemate Kauto Star at Cheltenham on March 19, with sponsors totesport offering 11-4.

Kauto Star is odds-on across the boards to successfully defend his crown, with Ladbrokes shortest at 4-7 and William Hill offering 4-5.

After Denman's demise on Saturday, Irish National winner Niche Market was reeled in on the run-in with Nicholls and Ruby Walsh nabbing the spoils as Tricky Trickster (8-1) nailed him by a short head.

Tricky Trickster and Niche Market catapulted themselves into 12-1 joint favouritism with Sky Bet for the John Smith's Grand National, and the latter's trainer, Bob Buckler, said: "I'm gutted about getting beaten like that but it was a super run.

"The aim has always been the National, and there's the possibility of going for the William Hill at Cheltenham first."

Nicholls also believes there is plenty of improvement in Master Minded after he bounced back to form in the Game Spirit Chase on Saturday.

The dual Champion Chase hero had been beaten into third on his first start of the campaign, but it later transpired that he had suffered a broken rib.

Nicholls's seven-year-old displayed all of his trademark zest at Newbury – his first start for three months – and overcame a bad mistake at the final fence to come home unchallenged.

"It was a pleasing effort because he jumped straight and he didn't hang," said Nicholls.

"As I'd said before, there's a lot to work on as we only started riding him again on January 6.

"He'd done three half-speed bits of work and lots of steady work, so he's bound to improve on that and it will sharpen him up."

Also a Cheltenham possible is fellow Newbury winner Al Ferof, who turned in an impressive display in the concluding bumper.

"He's a very nice horse and straight after the race John (Hales, owner) rang me and said he didn't want to run him again this season," said Nicholls.

"Then he slept on it and had a few brandies and said he'd like him to go to Cheltenham if the ground is okay, so he could head for the Champion Bumper."

Bensalem is not a certain runner in the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival after his second-place finish to Diamond Harry at Newbury on Saturday.

Although the seven-year-old made a bad mistake at the fifth-last of the toteplacepot Novices' Chase, he still emerged with credit behind his long-time nemesis.

Bensalem was subsequently trimmed for the RSA Chase, but connections also have another iron in the fire at the Festival.

King said: "We will keep our options open with Bensalem and see what Phil Smith (BHA head of handicapping) does when the reassessments are published on Tuesday.

"The RSA Chase could be very hot this year, not just with Diamond Harry but also Punchestowns and Long Run, so we will also make an entry for the William Hill Handicap Chase.

Luska Lad has been ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival – despite his impressive triumph at Gowran on Saturday.

John Hanlon's chestnut made all the running in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle to secure consecutive victories in Grade Two races.

The six-year-old will not be heading to Prestbury Park, however, with Hanlon instead eyeing an assault at big Spring targets in his homeland.