Potter to swerve Cheltenham

Caldwell Potter will not be in action at the Cheltenham Festival next month, with Paul Nicholls already setting his sights on a novice chase campaign next season; “He might go to Aintree if we are happy, but he has been bought to go chasing, that is his job. He’s next year’s chaser”

The Grade One winner was top lot at the Andy and Gemma Brown dispersal that took place last week, with Highflyer Bloodstock’s Anthony Bromley going to a record €740,000 on behalf of long-time Ditcheat owners John Hales, Ged Mason, Ferguson and Peter Done.

The big-money acquisition came just 48 hours after leading novice chaser Hermes Allen suffered a fatal fall in the Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown and connections now appear to have a ready-made replacement to fill the void next season.

And with the six-year-old’s future lying over the larger obstacles, the champion trainer is in no rush with his new recruit – which means the Cheltenham Festival is off the table this term.

Nicholls said: “The lads sadly lost Hermes Allen last weekend and I guess they felt it’s a lot of money, but between the four of them it is not that bad. He’s a nice horse to replace Hermes Allen to go novice chasing.

“He won’t go to Cheltenham because he won’t acclimatise in time. He might go to Aintree if we are happy, but he has been bought to go chasing, that is his job. He’s next year’s chaser.”