Bravemansgame will now skip the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury and head straight for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls had mooted after his good effort in defence of his King George crown the nine-year-old could take in the Grade Two contest, where he would have clashed with Shishkin once again.

However, the Ditcheat handler has decided he does not need to run last year’s Gold Cup runner-up again and will freshen him up in an attempt to go one better than last year in the blue riband.

“Bravemansgame is having a little break and we are definitely going straight to Cheltenham now,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“We had been talking about going to the Denman Chase, but we’re not going to do that.

“I spoke to Bryan (Drew, owner) in depth and Clifford (Baker, head lad) and we’re going to go straight to Cheltenham so he’s having an easier little time, along with Stage Star, who’s come out of his Cheltenham race fine. I don’t want to get on with them too soon.”

Nicholls also confirmed Hermes Allen on course for the Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown on February 3, while Rubaud will run in either the Unibet (International) Hurdle at Cheltenham next week or the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on February 17, rather than carry top-weight in the Betfair Hurdle.

Jeremy Scott’s Dashel Drasher could briefly resume his chasing career after his placed run in the Howden Long Walk Hurdle.

The fan favourite, now 11 years old, had a lucrative spell in staying hurdles last season but is also a well-regarded chaser with four successes over fences on his CV – including the Grade One Ascot Chase.

Second in the Relkeel Hurdle, the Cleeve Hurdle and the Stayers’ Hurdle last season, the latter a placing gained upon appeal, the gelding returned to action this term to finish third in the bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby in November.

He then headed to Newbury for the Long Distance Hurdle, a Grade Two event he won by a head from fellow veteran Paisley Park – another stalwart of the division.

Both horses lined up for the Long Walk to give Fergal O’Brien’s Crambo a run for his money, with the young horse coming out on top as Paisley Park was second behind him and Dashel Drasher in third place.

Scott could now call on his stable star’s versatility as the horse’s next outing could either be a hurdle start or a brief return to chasing, though both paths will likely lead to the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

“He’s doing really well. He did pull a muscle, I think over the last hurdle because he went quite long there, so we’ve had a little hold-up there,” said Scott.

“That’s probably neither here nor there and we’ve sorted that out, so he’s fighting fit for the end of the month or the beginning of next month.

“He could either go back to the Cleeve (Hurdle, at Cheltenham) or go for the Denman (Chase, at Newbury), I’ve a notion to do that.”

Should Dashel Drasher head for the Denman he may meet Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin and Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame, with the going pivotal to the decision made.

“It’s just a matter of the timing and the ground as to which direction we go in, but he’s very well at the moment and one of those is the plan,” Scott said.

“I’d imagine he’d go for the Stayer’s Hurdle either way, there’s nothing for him over fences really at Cheltenham, only the Gold Cup and I wouldn’t quite think he was up to that.”

Royale Pagaille shone brightest at his favourite track when upsetting Bravemansgame to land the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

The nine-year-old was second in this race in 2021 and returned to the Grade One contest at a price of 5-1 under Charlie Deutsch, having never been out of the first two in four previous trips to the Merseyside venue.

Dan Skelton’s Protektorat was occasionally erratic in his jumping and Lucinda Russell’s Corach Rambler, the reigning Grand National hero, found the race happening at too quick a pace.

https://x.com/ValueRacingPlus/status/1728431030707650948?s=20

It was left to Royale Pagaille and Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame, the 8-11 favourite, to share the lead in the battle for top honours.

And in the closing stages it was Venetia Williams’ charge who pushed on, jumping well over the final two fences to claim his biggest success to date by six and a half lengths. Corach Rambler was another nine lengths back in third.

Daryl Jacob has been handed the plum spare ride aboard Bravemansgame in the Betfair Chase, with Paul Nicholls confirming his Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up is likely to line up at Haydock on Saturday.

Nicholls had indicated the Grade One contest was a possibility for his star stayer following his reappearance second in the Charlie Hall and if conditions are suitably dry throughout the week, it appears the eight-year-old will travel to Merseyside en route to the King George at Kempton.

With Bravemansgame’s usual rider Harry Cobden set to be in action at Ascot, it is an opportunity for Jacob to add to the three Betfair Chase victories he secured aboard Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Bristol De Mai.

It also represents a return to the fold at Ditcheat for the 40-year-old, with Jacob once stable jockey to the champion trainer, riding Cheltenham Festival winners aboard Zarkandar and Lac Fontana.

Speaking to Betfair, Nicholls said: “An update for everybody. He schooled this morning nicely. Daryl Jacob rode him. He runs on Saturday.

“Daryl’s going to ride him, you know. He’s got all the experience in the world. He rides out a little bit here, so he got on great with him this morning.

“We’ve confirmed him this morning, and we’re just going to monitor the ground during the week. If it was heavy, he definitely won’t run, but I’m encouraged by the weather forecast. Looks like it’s drying up.”

Paul Nicholls has indicated there is a possibility Bravemansgame could run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock later this month if conditions prove suitable.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up narrowly failed to defend his Charlie Hall Chase crown at Wetherby on Saturday when a mistake at the final fence allowed Mouse Morris’ race-fit Gentlemansgame to snatch victory.

It was thought that the eight-year-old would head straight to Kempton in search of back-to-back victories in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, but Nicholls is refusing to rule out an appearance at Haydock on November 25 – a race which was originally slated for Bravemansgame’s seasonal return.

“He’s come out of the race really well, he’s actually had a canter today, and there is still a possibility of him running in the Betfair Chase,” Nicholls told Betfair in his Ditcheat Diary.

“It’s a fantastic race and I love supporting it and have done well in it. Plenty of horses I have had have used that as a stepping stone to the King George and in a lot of ways Saturday was a bit of a racecourse gallop for him.

“He had not been anywhere before Saturday and if we were happy with him and the ground was OK – that is key, I don’t want to give him a hard race, a slog in really testing ground before the King George – but if we had a dry week up to it and the ground was good to soft, then it could be tempting.”

Reflecting on his Wetherby defeat, Nicholls added: “He ran a super race and it was probably a better performance than a year ago.

“The ground was testing enough for him and you could probably run the race 100 times and get a different result each time, but if he hadn’t made that mistake at the last and had landing running, it could have been a whole heap different.

“He got beat by a good, improving, young, race-fit horse and we paid for a little mistake. It was his first run of the season and I was going to have him nowhere near his best first-time out. Obviously, we want him to step forward from that and he will do.”

Gentlemansgame came of age by beating Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

Having just his third run over fences, the Mouse Morris-trained seven-year-old was nibbled at in the market into 7-2 and he became the first Irish-based winner since Francis Crowley’s Sackville in 2001.

Gentlemansgame won a beginners chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival but was not seen again until being beaten into second by Easy Game at Gowran in September.

Always highly thought of by Morris, who finished second in the corresponding race in 1998 with Boss Doyle behind Strath Royal, he was the trainer’s first winner in the UK since he landed the Grand National with Rule The World in 2016.

Ahoy Senor set out to make all but by halfway his jumping had once again slowed him down and last year’s winner Bravemansgame took it up.

It stayed that way until Darragh O’Keeffe brought the grey up to challenge, but at the second last the favourite had seemingly seen him off.

However, Bravemansgame jumped out of Harry Cobden’s hands at the final fence, landing on top of it and halting his momentum, allowing the Irish raider to gain the upper hand and win by a length and three-quarters.

Morris said: “I’m very happy with that, he jumped super. He was a bit fiddly at one or two, but that was to be expected on his third run over fences.

“He was taking on a seasoned, Gold Cup horse (Bravemansgame). We came here because I was limited as to where I could go. The owners (Robcour) had their other horse going to Down Royal (Gerri Colombe) and it would be stupid to take each other on.

“It’s a long way to the Gold Cup. I suppose Leopardstown at Christmas would be the obvious place to go, but we’ll see how he comes out of it.

“He’ll stay all day and we’re living the dream.”

On his Wetherby win, Morris added: “It’s a nice race and a super track with lovely people, so why not come over?”

Derek Fox is relishing the prospect of reuniting with Ahoy Senor in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

Lucinda Russell’s star chaser was bitterly disappointing and finished last when sent off the 11-10 favourite for the Grade Two event last season but would go on to prove any doubters wrong in the second half of the campaign.

Having won the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January, he was putting up a bold show when a faller six out in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and showed no ill effects when quickly backing that performance up to finish a fine second to Shishkin in the Bowl at Aintree.

Lying in wait once again for Ahoy Senor is a familiar face in defending champion Bravemansgame and Fox is thrilled to be able to take the ride having successfully appealed a 10-day ban picked up at the track last month, which would have left him sat on the sidelines on Saturday afternoon.

He said: “I’m delighted I’m able to ride him, it’s all systems go and we’re looking forward to getting him out again.

“I’ve rode him out and we’re all happy with him – he’s in good form and all seems well.

“He might have needed it (the run) a bit last year. I actually don’t think he ran that badly, he was just a bit free and got a bit tired.”

The Charlie Hall is set to be run in testing conditions with Wetherby abandoning racing at the track on Friday.

However, Fox is happy his mount will be OK on the ground despite it not being connections’ preferred going for his West Yorkshire return.

He added: “He’s handled heavy ground before. Probably for the first day out for the season, ideally you wouldn’t have it so heavy, but it’s the same for them all and he handles any ground.

“We’re going there hopeful that he’s in good order at home and hoping he’ll do well.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Russell’s partner and assistant Peter Scudamore, who said: “We’ve obviously discussed it and Derek doesn’t see it as an issue.

“It was very tacky and dead ground the day he won at Cheltenham. He’s a free-going sort, but I don’t see it being too big an issue.”

Scudamore is no stranger to top-class staying chasers and the former champion jockey is looking forward to seeing Ahoy Senor kick off his new campaign.

“You are always nervous when you run a horse like that,” said Scudamore.

“We really fancied him last year (in the race) and it all went wrong, but he picked himself up from that and was able to run some really nice races.

“To be fair to the horse, he had a bad start to last season but then he ran some fabulous races, the two Cheltenham runs and Aintree, so we just need to have him back to that level.

“I’m a little bit more relaxed than I was and I just hope he jumps sensibly and then we can look at the Coral Gold Cup for him.

“This isn’t the be-all and end-all of the season, but we’re looking forward to it.”

Following victory in this race 12 months ago, Bravemansgame would go on to add the King George VI Chase at Christmas before brave efforts in defeat at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals in the spring.

Trainer Paul Nicholls was originally keen to point his Gold Cup runner-up towards Haydock’s Betfair Chase, but concerned about bottomless ground on Merseyside later this month, has elected for Bravemansgame to defend his Charlie Hall crown before returning to Kempton on Boxing Day.

Nicholls told Betfair: “He enjoyed an amazing time last season and I couldn’t be happier with him as he bids to win the Charlie Hall for the second year running.

“I was leaning towards taking him to Haydock in three weeks’ time for his seasonal debut in the Betfair Chase but changed my mind after all the rain we’ve had. The way things are at the moment conditions could be bottomless at Haydock by the end of the month which would be far from ideal for Bravemansgame over almost three and a quarter miles first time out.

“It makes sense to go for the Charlie Hall with only three opponents declared against him. He won this race easily a year ago and the race comes at the right time for him ahead of the King George VI Chase at Kempton.”

Dan Skelton’s Midnight River successfully stepped up in trip when winning a big handicap at Aintree on Grand National Day and will ply his trade once again over a staying distance, while Mouse Morris will saddle the sole Irish challenger Gentlemansgame.

Morris has enjoyed success at Wetherby in the past, with the Tony McCoy-ridden Boss Doyle finishing second to Strath Royal in the 1998 Charlie Hall before going on to win back-to-back runnings of the West Yorkshire Hurdle in 2000 and 2001. He also filled the runner-up spot in the same race when bidding for the hat-trick in 2002.

Morris will now bid to enhance that record with the strapping seven-year-old who makes just his third appearance over fences.

“He’s travelled over and he’s in good shape so hopefully it’s on now, that’s the main thing,” said the Irishman.

“He ran well in Gowran and we just need to get a bit of experience into him. He’s being thrown in at the deep end on Saturday, but as long as he gives a good account of himself I’ll be happy.

“I don’t think the ground or the trip will be a problem, but you can’t beat experience in life.”

Bravemansgame is likely to reappear in the Betfair Chase at Haydock before defending his King George VI Chase crown on Boxing Day.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls will consider the Charlie Hall at Wetherby for his first run, which he won last season, but at this stage is favouring the Grade One on Merseyside on November 25.

The eight-year-old was the only horse to give Galopin Des Champs a fright in the Gold Cup and then got much closer to him at Punchestown, only for them both to be beaten by Fastorslow.

“It is highly likely he will start this season in the Betfair Chase at Haydock which has been a brilliant race for me with horses like Kauto Star and Silviniaco Conti and the timing is ideal ahead of the King George VI Chase at Kempton,” said Nicholls.

“He is ticking over and could be ready for the Charlie Hall at Wetherby if the ground was suitable but we are leaning towards Haydock. It is an extremely valuable pot and Bravemansgame has won at the track.

“The ground at Wetherby was only just ok for him last year and we don’t want to be taking any chances. To keep our options open, we will probably give him an entry, too, in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury. It would be a tough ask for him off a mark of 172 but Denman won it off 174.”

One who could take in the Wetherby race is stablemate Pic D’Orhy, who won four of his five races last season, with his only defeat coming behind Shishkin in the Ascot Chase.

“I’m keen to step him up in trip and am getting him ready for the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby if the ground is suitable,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“He is bred to stay three miles and is always keeping on at the end of his races. Then we will probably look at the Peterborough Chase. If he does stay three miles, it will open up more doors for him.”

Stage Star was another star for the stable last term and Cheltenham in November is on his radar.

“He isn’t the easiest to place but is brilliant fresh and goes straight to the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham. We will then make a plan with the Ryanair Chase at the Festival a likely target in the spring. I don’t rule out a step up to three miles for him at some stage,” said Nicholls.