Paul Nicholls believes Bravemansgame is 'better and stronger' after extending unbeaten run over fences at Newbury
Paul Nicholls admitted how he felt ‘fairly confident’ that Bravemansgame would storm to victory at Newbury on Betfair Super Saturday.
The exciting seven-year-old extended his unbeaten record over fences to land the Betfair Cheltenham Roarcast Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase under Harry Cobden.
Bravemansgame won on his two previous trips to Newbury, including victory in the Challow Hurdle in 2020, and he made it three from three when beating Pats Fancy by three-and-a-half lengths.
Nicholls said: “He is not a horse that needs loads and loads of work, so you don’t need to do a lot after today - it will probably put him right.
“I was fairly confident he’d win today and if I didn’t have a winner today, then I’d be pulling my hair out.
“He ran how he looked and I was thrilled with him,” added the Ditcheat handler. “He is a really exciting horse for Cheltenham and the future more than anything.
“He is a super horse and I think he’ll be even better when he has had another summer because he seems to keep maturing.”
Bravemansgame will now head to Cheltenham for the Festival in March, where he’ll be desperate to make amends after finishing third in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle last year.
“It’s nice to go to Cheltenham with a chance,” said the trainer. “He got beat last year, but he was a big baby then and jumping fences over 3m is a different ball game and he is probably a much better and stronger horse now.”