Newbury's Betfair Super Saturday: Blazer denies Nicholls a hat trick of favourites
Paul Nicholls with Dodging BulletsSaturday (February 13) approaches and all eyes are on the weather for Newbury's Betfair Super Saturday - its first major race day of the year.
The latest news from the course was that the ground was drying and might end up a little better than this latest forecast: hurdle course - heavy, soft in places and chase course - soft, heavy in places.
Nine times champion trainer, Paul Nicholls looked as though he would send out the favourites in all three of the card's main races. But the Irish trained Blazer has deposed Nicholls' entry Modus as favourite for the Betfair Hurdle. Modus is owned by J.P. McManus and trained at Nicholls' Somerset yard.
Rocky CreekBlazer is trained by Willie Mullins, owned by J.P. McManus and will be ridden by Barry Geraghty.
Betfair say that Geraghty's choice of Blazer over Modus meant there was 'no doubt' the Irish-trained horse will go off the favourite of the 22 runners for the Betfair Hurdle. Modus will be ridden by Nick Scholfield who has been schooling Modus since he joined at the yard.
Just a week ago punters could have found Blazer at 33-1. The odds shortened after his performance at Leopardstown on ground that some judged too heavy to race at all.
The other favourites from Nicholls' yard are Rocky Creek - now favourite for the Betfair Denman Chase - and punters' favourite Dodging Bullets who is clear favourite for the Betfair Exchange Chase.
With good advanced bookings, Newbury are expecting a record crowd for the meeting. The meeting has prize money totalling £350,000.