Sport

Nicholls Cross in at Ascot

Norman Williamson has been booked to ride Nicholls Cross for trainer Edward O'Grady in the £50,000 First National Gold Cup at…

Wed Nov 17 1999 - 00:00

Norman Williamson has been booked to ride Nicholls Cross for trainer Edward O'Grady in the £50,000 First National Gold Cup at Ascot on Saturday.

Nicholls Cross has won handicap chases at Listowel and Gowran Park this autumn but, on his latest start, unseated his rider at Naas two weeks ago.

O'Grady is not concerned about the state of the ground which was yesterday described as good, good to firm in places although rain is forecast. "The ground will be okay," he added.

Nicholls Cross runs in the colours of David Lloyd, whose Sound Man was sent out by O'Grady to lift this Grade Two prize in 1995.

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When asked if Nicholls Cross could turn out as good as that horse he commented: "It would be nice to think so."

Nicholls Cross is quoted at 13 to 2 with William Hill for the handicap chase over two miles three-and-a-half furlongs.

Rince Ri is to sidestep the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday week for a race at Punchestown a week later.

The six-year-old goes for the John Durkan Memorial Chase on December 4th, when he is likely to face last year's winner, Imperial Call, in the two-and-a-half mile race.

"He's most unlikely to run at Newbury. We'll save him for Punchestown," said trainer Ted Walsh.

Dorans Pride, runner-up to Florida Pearl at Down Royal earlier this month, is on course for the Morris Oil Chase at Clonmel on Sunday, according to trainer Michael Hourigan.

"I intend to run Dorans Pride and Amberleigh House. My son Paul will ride Dorans Pride and I have no jockey yet for Amberleigh House," said Hourigan yesterday.

Teeton Mill is virtually certain to be retired if he does not return to the racecourse this season, it was revealed yesterday.

Mark Gichero, spokesman for owners The Winning Line, said: "If he does not race this season he will not be coming back."

Paul Nicholls has solved the mystery of Call Equiname's poor performance in last Saturday's Murphy's Gold Cup.

Nicholls said: "We've found that Call Equiname was suffering from an irregular heart rhythm and that is obviously what caused him to run so badly on Saturday."