Today on Sky Sports Racing: Champion Paul Nicholls in focus at Newton Abbot as Tulin returns against Diligent | Racing News

May 11, 2022 admin

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls hands the potentially progressive Tulin his first start of 2022 at local track Newton Abbot on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports Racing.

Diligent leads challenge to Tulin in feature

The five-year-old looked impressive when winning his first two starts at Taunton for the Ditcheat handler last year and reappeared a summer break when a good second in a Listed contest at Kempton in October, with Cheltenham Festival runner-up Cobblers Dream in behind.

Having given Mack The Man a good run for his money at Exeter the following month, Tulin disappointed on his most recent start at Wincanton, but has been given plenty of time off since a subsequent wind operation and could have yet more to offer.

His main opposition in the Racing Welfare Mental Health Awareness Week Handicap Hurdle (2.05) appears to come from Nigel Hawke’s ever-consistent nine-year-old Diligent, who followed up last month’s victory at Taunton by chasing home Nicholls’ classy hurdler Knappers Hill.

Tramore winner Wewillgowithplanb debuts for Bandey

Young trainer Richard Bandey enjoyed something of a breakthrough campaign in the 2021/22 season, managing a personal best 19 winners from 79 runners at an impressive 24 per cent strike rate.

He sends out new recruit Wewillgowithplanb in the Download The At The Races App Handicap Hurdle (4.00) at Worcester on Wednesday, who will bid to build on last July’s victory at Tramore for former trainer Gearoid O’loughlin.

Another returning from a lengthy break is Fergal O’Brien’s Samba Dancer, who put together three victories in a row between September and October last year, including a nice handicap prize at Cheltenham. Dan Skelton’s Percy’s Word finished two places in front of Samba Dancer on his last start and reopposes.

Savvy Knight & Our Jester clash in hot novice

The British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes (6.30) at Bath features a fascinating clash between two promising types with very different profiles.

Sean Woods’ Savvy Victory made an exciting start to his career with victory at Nottingham over a mile-and-two-furlongs last month and is expected to be a big player with just four rivals to beat this time.

One of those is Hughie Morrison’s Our Jester who switches to the Flat game, having won bumpers at Ascot and Lingfield during the previous jumps season, before ending that campaign with a brave effort to be seventh in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.