Nicholls bids for another Tolworth Capitaine bids to give trainer Paul Nicholls a fifth victory in the 32Red Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday. Although he was turned over at short odds on his penultimate start at Haydock, the five-year-old grey made amends with a game frontrunning success in a Grade Two at Ascot last month. "Hopefully he is up there with my past winners as he is a proper horse," said Nicholls, who last claimed the Tolworth with Breedsbreeze in 2008, "As I said before, we got the tactics totally wrong at Haydock when he got beat there but we've always thought a lot of him. "We let him bowl along in front last time and he was very good. "He wouldn't want too much rain. Hopefully he will run well again. He is another horse for the future." Finian's Oscar justified his tall reputation when he made a winning start for Colin Tizzard at Hereford last month. Jockey Tom O'Brien said: "He was straightforward and uncomplicated at Hereford. He couldn't have done it any better and he looks a very exciting prospect. "He ran through the line like a full horse. Harry Fry really fancied his horse (Acting Lass) in that race and he brushed him aside easily. "He's ready for a step up in grade. It was soft ground when he won and he made it feel lovely. When they do that, they can handle dig in the ground, no problem." Harry Whittington believes unbeaten hurdler Charlemar has taken another step forward since adding to his Chepstow success at Aintree last month. Whittington said: "I think he's improved since Aintree. I said that day that he hadn't been working that well at home, but his work has improved so I think he got some confidence off the back of that. "It looks quite an open race on Saturday. There are probably two or three in it who could be a bit special. I think we're all in the same boat. "Capitaine is a horse I like and Finian's Oscar was impressive at Hereford, so it will be tough to win, but it is a Grade One so that's what you expect. "Our horse is in good form and we're very much looking forward to it."
