JLT contender Politologue heads Cheltenham Festival chances for Paul Nicholls
POLITOLOGUE will remain wearing a hood at next month's Cheltenham Festival as he bids to strike at the top level for the first time in his career in the JLT Novices' Chase.
Trainer Paul Nicholls plans to keep the six-year-old in the headgear when tackling the Grade One event, having successfully worn it during his latest victory in a graduation chase at Kempton.
Although losing his unbeaten record over fences on his penultimate start, the John Hales-owned gelding is as short as 6-1 to taste victory at Prestbury Park on March 16.
Nicholls said: "He runs in the JLT and is one of our leading chances. He is a really progressive, nice chaser and has won three from four over fences this year.
"He just had a canter around Kempton last week, basically, which was an ideal school for him. He had a hard enough race at Haydock and I think it was a very good run that day.
"He ran a little bit free at Haydock. He has always got a little bit buzzy in the prelims and that is the complete opposite to what he is like at home, funnily enough. We put a hood on him the last day at Kempton. He was really relaxed and Sam (Twiston-Davies) was thrilled with him.
"I will put the hood back on. He just ran an ordinary race there (Cheltenham) last season, he was over the top having been in France. But with everything going on on the day, it is better just to keep the lid on and keep him nice and chilled and it did work well at Kempton."
Although Romain De Senam has yet to reach the same heights over fences as his Grade Two-winning stablemate, the Ditcheat handler believes he has every chance of going one better than his visit to last year's Festival in the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase.
Nicholls said: "He is an interesting horse. He has two entries in the Grand Annual and the Close Brothers. He is almost certain to run in the two-and-a-half-mile novice handicap.
"He was beaten a short head in the Fred Winter last season. That day he stayed on strongly and he obviously wants two and a half miles over fences.
"He won at Leicester, then I ran him five days later over two (miles) which was a mistake. It was a bit sharp for him, but he ran nicely enough. He will get in the race and he must have a leading chance.
"He wants a real fast-run race, like it was in the Fred Winter so he can use his jumping and stay on into the race."
Having won the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle for the past two seasons, Nicholls' best chance of claiming a hat-trick of wins in the race could rest with recent Wincanton winner Dreamcatching.
He said: "He entered the equation after winning at Wincanton on Saturday. He has got a mark of 131 after that. The horse that won it last year (Diego Du Charmil) was 133 and the one before (Qualando) was 131, so he is around about the right mark.
"We fancied him over Christmas at Kempton. He ran very free and never got home and also he wasn't right at the time.
"It was a much better performance at Wincanton, where he bolted in. He is a progressive young horse and is off to the Fred Winter. It is a race we have done really well in over the last few years."
