NAP of the Day: Nicholls’ Roadshow calling at Newton Abbot

Former champion trainer Paul Nicholls doesn't have the star firepower of days gone by at his Ditcheat base but he still knows how to find winners.

Placement has always been a strength for Nicholls and he looks to have found a presentable opportunity for Roadshow to open his account at Newton Abbot. That's one of two afternoon jumps cards, joined by Downpatrick, as well as the Flat card at Ayr, while later on they race on the level at Killarney and Windsor.

Monday's NAP of the Day is below, as Nicholls bids to embellish and an excellent recent run, at a track where he typically excels.

14:20 Newton Abbot - Roadshow @ 17/2

Paul Nicholls is enjoying a good summer spell, with five winners from his 10 most recent runners giving the Ditcheat ace a 50 per-cent strike-rate over the last month.

Newton Abbot is a venue that has often proved fertile for the 14-time champion trainer too. Nicholls has saddled 56 winners in 187 attempts at the Devon circuit across the last five seasons, giving him a 30 per cent strike-rate and making him the most prolific handler at the course.

He'll be hoping that is a good omen for ex-Andre Fabre inmate ROADSHOW ahead of the Visit Our Country Show 9th August Maiden Hurdle this afternoon.

14:20 Newton Abbot Odds

The four-year-old Galileo gelding was 7½f winner on the level before leaving France last summer. He debuted for this handler at Wincanton in March after 278 days off and a wind op, but ran below expectations.

He has been consistent since at the likes of Chepstow, Warwick and here. He finished second over 2m1f at this track in May, no match for odds-on winner Roxanne but some 15-lengths clear of the rest.

On his most recent start, Olive Nicholls was desperately unlucky to unseat after being badly hampered by a rival that slipped on the bend in front of her.

Roadshow was still travelling with gusto at that point and the belief that this turning track should play to his strengths was being built upon after that earlier second.

No blame could be attached to either horse or rider for that misfortune and this doesn't look to be the strongest of maiden hurdles.

Last month's course bumper winner Three Pikes is noted debuting over jumps for Henry Oliver but, with Harry Cobden back in the saddle here, Roadshow may get his breakthrough with a replication of the form shown when second-best at this track two months ago.

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