Nicholls’s Unioniste now has Charlie Hall Chase in sights

EXCITING chasing prospect Unioniste will attempt to give former champion trainer Paul Nicholls back-to-back wins in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase, Wetherby’s feature race of the year.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Oct 2013, 09:06 BST

Victorious 12 months ago in the £100,000 contest with 
Silviniaco Conti, Nicholls intends to run the John Hales-owned young grey in this year’s renewal on November 2.

Unioniste came to public prominence when winning the Grade Three December Gold Cup at Cheltenham last year under mud-splattered young conditional Harry Derham, the nephew of Nicholls.

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The grey has not run since finishing fourth to Lord Windermere in the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival back in March.

“The plan is to run Unioniste. He has done very well over the summer and is in good shape,” said Nicholls yesterday.

“He had done plenty last season, having run through the summer in France, and was probably a bit over the top in the RSA Chase.

“He is a year older and wiser now and we are very happy with him – but he has got to step up on what he has accomplished so far.”

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Unioniste is likely to clash with 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Long Run whose owner, Robert Waley-Cohen, confirmed that his horse of a lifetime is a likely runner at Wetherby.

Other possible contenders on the day include Yorkshire’s Grand National winner 
Auroras Encore as well as Grand Crus from David Pipe’s Somerset yard.

Nicholls also plans to send Tidal Bay to Wetherby to 
defend his crown in the £36,500 Grade Two bet365 Hurdle over the Charlie Hall trip of three miles and one furlong.

The 12-year-old scored impressively last year and went on to land a top-class renewal of the Grade One Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in late December.

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He has not been seen since due to a stress fracture of the lower cannon bone on his right hind leg.

Kevin Ryan’s The Grey Gatsby and Mark Johnston’s Somewhat are the only Yorkshire entries in Saturday’s Grade One Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, the last major Flat race of the domestic season.

There is a strong Irish challenge with Aidan O’Brien, responsible for three of the last four winners, entering four runners from Ballydoyle while top Irish rider and trainer Johnny Murtagh has entered Altruistic as he looks to continue his winning run in England’s top races.

Related topics:Paul NichollsWetherbyYorkshire