McCoy and Nicholls a Dear partnership

13 April 2012

There aren't many big races missing from Paul Nicholls's CV and Dear Villez can fill in one of the few blanks by landing Haydock's Peter Marsh Chase tomorrow.

This progressive seven-year-old won the Munster National in October, before arguably putting up a career best performance when fourth in the Hennessy Gold Cup in November. In fact, Dear Villez was unfortunate not to finish closer as he was travelling well when hampered four out.

As a result of that Newbury effort the handicapper has lowered the gelding's rating by 1lb and the opposition in tomorrow's three-mile contest looks considerably weaker.

Another big pointer is the booking of Tony McCoy, who has a better than one-in-three strike rate when riding for the champion trainer.

Nicholls also runs Opera Mundi, a course and distance winner 14 months ago, but three subsequent efforts have offered no encouragement whatsoever.

Six of the 11 runners have been successful at Haydock, but few look in the kind of form required to win a race of this stature.

The two horses above Dear Villez in the weights have yet to really get going this season with Cloudy Lane needing to drop a few pounds if he is to give trainer Donald McCain a second win in this race, while Miko De Beauchene, who won the 2007 Coral Welsh National, unluckily unseated his rider at the second fence when going for a double in the Chepstow marathon last month.

D'Argent has a terrific record at this time of year, but trainer Alan King's stable jockey Robert Thornton has chosen to ride at Ascot.

Montgermont looked a star in the making three years ago before injury sidelined Caroline Bailey's charge for 24 months. With only 10st 4lb to carry on the back of two encouraging runs back and the ground, trip and track should all suiting, Montgermont is worth including in forecasts.

Future champions such as Jodami and Earth Summit won this race before going on to better things and it would be no surprise to see Dear Villez take this en route to other big prizes in the coming months.

Meanwhile, Channel 4 are showing a couple of races at Lingfield tomorrow and Tom Dascombe's improving four-year-old THE GAME can complete a hat-trick in the 2.55.

The son of Compton Place set a new track record over five furlongs last time but is more at home over tomorrow's trip and, despite racing off a career high mark, is hard to oppose.

ATLANTIC STORY has won five of seven races at the Surrey venue and, although having to give weight all round, is the one to beat in the finale (4.00).

Jamie Spencer has struck up a terrific partnership with Mick Easterby's seven-year-old with four wins from five races and the pair are reunited again.

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McCoy and Nicholls a Dear partnership

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