Nicol contemplates Flat campaign with Triumph third Minella Study

Adam Nicol could not hide his delight at Minella Study’s brilliant third in his “Olympics” of the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and is considering a potential Flat campaign with the four-year-old.

Minella Study went into the two-mile Grade One as one of the favourites after winning over course and distance by six-and-a-half lengths ahead of Winston Junior, who came second in the Fred Winter, in the Triumph Hurdle Trial in December.

Minella Study cleared the last in front, but he was eventually reeled in by Willie Mullins’ 50-1 shot Apolon De Charnie, with Maestro Conti pipping him on the line to snatch second.

The Seahouses handler was not disappointed with the result, though, as he eyes a long-term future with his stable star.

“Oh mega proud of him,” Nicol said. “You’ve just been beat by just over a length in the Triumph Hurdle, it’s the pinnacle. That was our Olympics.

“To get there was massive, but to go there with a live chance was even better and then he had to follow it up, which he did.

“I didn’t want to believe he could win it until he jumped the last clear, that’s when I actually thought ‘we might win this’. He’s still a baby and he’s very tall so he will strengthen up.

“He’s one of the most exciting horses to come out of the north in recent times and if we can keep him in one piece, hopefully we’ll get a good few years out of him.

“He’s a bright horse for the future. It’s been quite enjoyable really.”

It was one of former jockey Nicol’s first experiences as a trainer at a big meeting and he could be heading to Aintree should Minella Study recover from his recent run with flying colours.

He said: “I did enjoy it and I think the fact I rode as a jockey for 15 years helped as I was used to that environment, and as a jockey you get used to a lot of disappointment at the races after getting beat a lot of the time.

“I’m well aware that this game tames lions, you’ve got to take it all with a pinch of salt and enjoy it, which we did.

“The owners Malcolm and Carol Humble still can’t believe it’s their horse and it’s their first ever horse as owners.

“It’s all been very exciting for everyone and you are only as good as you train, and we are just lucky that we’ve landed on another good horse.

“If we can keep him in one piece, he’ll be running in some very good races next season. If he comes out of this really well and nothing is set in stone yet, if he were to run again he will go to Aintree.

“It is a possibility, he would have a maximum of one more run and he would have to be pleasing me.

“I think the track would suit. He’s obviously very versatile and clearly handles Cheltenham, I’d hope we see an even better horse on a flat track.

“He has hellish pedigree so I think Aintree on lovely ground would be right up his street as well.”

Nicol has toyed with the idea of campaigning on the Flat next season, which will not be an issue as Minella Study already has more experience on the level than over hurdles.

“Sometimes five-year-olds can struggle once they go into open company, when he is going to be taking on potentially Champion Hurdle kind of horses or carrying a big weight in a handicap,” Nicol added.

“It is going to be difficult, but the good thing we’ve got is the option of having a bit of a Flat campaign because he’s very well handicapped.

“To try to look after him, we could be very selective with which jump races we go in as well as keeping him going on the Flat.

“We might not have a busy jumps season, he will certainly be hurdling, and when he’s a solid six-year-old, he could be an out-and-out dual-purpose but more than capable of taking on the Champion Hurdle horses.

“It’s not a bad issue to have, not many people get a horse of this calibre so we are very lucky.”