PAUL NICHOLLS reckons Sir Alex Ferguson could prove the £75,000 lucky charm for one of his two runners in the December Gold Cup.
The Ditcheat boss saddles two in Saturday’s big race at Cheltenham.
He runs through the chances of Monmiral and Il Ridoto below and reveals which one he thinks has the edge.
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Betfair ambassador Nicholls said of 13-2 chance Il Ridoto, who will be ridden by Bryony Frost: “A regular in these valuable big handicaps at Cheltenham he got his reward in the Premier Handicap on Trials day in January.
“He is consistent and always runs well but the task is a bit harder now running off a 5lbs higher mark.
“Il Ridoto again ran a solid race in finishing third behind Stage Star in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month.
“He might improve plenty from that first run of the season but will need to if he is to win this.”
While the 14-time champion trainer said of Sir Alex‘s Monmiral: “He’s a Grade 1 winner over hurdles and ran very well over fences last season against some top horses like Jonbon and The Real Whacker.
“But he probably wasn’t quite right last winter, so we gave him a wind op in the summer because we felt he was struggling with his breathing.
“His homework this autumn has been really good and he also pleased us in a recent away day.
“I’m going down the handicap route and targeting this race because he is a class horse on an attractive mark of 145.
“Harry Cobden was keen to ride Monmiral after partnering him in a piece of work.
“It’s a close call between my duo in the December Gold Cup. I just favour Monmiral, who is a class horse.”
The Man Utd legend co-owns the horse with Ged Mason and John and Lisa Hales.
Sir Alex has been in brilliant form lately, winning the £500,000 Bahrain International Trophy.
And he also has a horse in the Favourite From The Sun Now Daily Handicap Chase in the form of Protektorat, who’s been backed from 11-1 into 11-2.
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