Taranis Just Champion For Nicholls

Taranis made most of the running to win the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase at Down Royal.

Going on after The Listener unseated Daryl Jacob at the third fence, Taranis (10-11) had to shrug off the challenge of Justified to take this Grade One contest.

Ruby Walsh had one anxious moment when Paul Nicholls's charge almost ran out at the second-last fence.

However, he ran on to beat Justified by five lengths, with Light On The Broom third.'

The Listener made a mistake at the second fence and was out of the race after making a blunder at the next.

Taranis then took over the lead from Strong Flow and bowled along contentedly, putting in a solid round of jumping.

Paul Carberry brought Justified into contention three out and it was at the next obstacle that Taranis ran around and almost missed out the fence.

Walsh managed to retain control and get the six-year-old back on an even keel.

Justified could find no more and Taranis went on to win cosily and further strengthen the hand of Nicholls, who is also responsible for star chasers Kauto Star and Denman.

Taranis was cut to 8-1 from 9-1 for the Stan James King George Chase with the sponsors and 33-1 from 50-1 with them for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Taranis is 7-1 with VC Bet, 8-1 with Paddy Power and 9-1 with William Hill for the King George.

Walsh said: 'It was never the plan to do it the hard way and it isn't the right way to ride the horse.

'We jumped off with Strong Flow going so steady and The Listener content to sit in. I wanted a true-run race so I had to go about it myself. When The Listener unseated Daryl I could see the horse running loose in front.

'It was hard work in front, he's much better with a lead. It's not the right way to ride him, but we got away with it.

'I guess we always thought he would stay, but now we know he does. We've gone a nice gallop and he's kept going all the way.

'I think he gets three miles and he may even get a but further.

'He's a really good horse as he proved last year. To me he's got a big future in front of him, he's only six,' Walsh told Channel 4 Racing.

Nicholls added: 'The race didn't unfold how we thought it would. We thought The Listener might give him a good lead then he departed with Daryl.

'We got left in front, which is where he doesn't want to be, but there was no point hanging about going no gallop and getting done for toe, so we had to ride him in front.

'It wasn't ideal but he kept on galloping.

'We always thought he would get three miles. It was a decent prize and it's good to come over and win it.

'Obviously handicaps are out for him. He'll have an entry for the King George and we'll probably put him in at Leopardstown (Lexus Chase) as well. There's also a valuable handicap hurdle at Haydock at the end of the month, he'll probably go there (next).'

One Cool Cookie finished alone in an eventful race for the Killultagh Properties Ltd Chase.

David Casey set out to make all the running on Charlie Swan's six-year-old and was still in front turning for home when Justpourit slipped up on the bend on the run to the third-last, bringing down the only other starter, Knight Legend.

The evens favourite, who put in a superb round of jumping, completed the two-and-a-half-mile race in style.

(C) PA Sport