CHAMPION trainer Paul Nicholls took centre stage at Cheltenham today with four winners, including Unioniste in the feature race of the day.
He boosted his chances of retaining his title with victory for Unioniste in the Paul Stewart IronSpine Charity Challenge Gold Cup and others with Zarkandar, Far West and Shooters Wood.
Nicholls had been sweating on Unioniste's participation in the Paul Stewart IronSpine Charity Challenge Gold Cup in the days leading up to the race because he was a reserve and was allowed to take part only after another horse was withdrawn.
Nicholls' pre-race confidence in Unioniste's chances about him giving him his third win in the showcase race over two and a half miles were justified as the youngster powered to a 11-length victory under Harry Derham.
Nicholls said: "You wouldn't just chuck any four-year-old horse in a race like that but he's the ultimate professional and he knows what he's at."
Zarkandar threw down the gauntlet to his Cheltenham Festival rivals with a win in the StanJames.com International Hurdle under Ruby Walsh.
Zarkandar, winner of the Triumph Hurdle at the 2011 Festival, underlined his claims to be the best two-mile hurdler in Britain and Ireland with victory over Champion Hurdle rivals Grandouet and Rock On Ruby.
Nicholls said: "I'm really looking forward to getting him right for the Champion Hurdle."
Far West is firmly on course for the Festival too after he gained an easy success for Nicholls in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial under Walsh.
Nicholls said Shooters Wood will be lightly campaigned before the Festival after he made it two wins out of two at Prestbury Park with his dramatic success under Walsh in the Jenny Mould Memorial Handicap Chase.
Nicholls' main championship rival Nicky Henderson won the Osborne House Relkeel Hurdle with the high-class Oscar Whisky, who was gaining the tenth victory of his 14-race career.
Trainer Mark Bradstock paid tribute to the staying power of Coneygree after the gelding set himself up for a trip to the Festival with a gutsy win in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.
Bradstock said: "Mattie said the horse was wanting to go a bit quicker, but I thought he was going fast enough in that ground. He's tough and he gets three miles."
Highland Lodge won the Ryman Stationary Novices' Chase for trainer Emma Lavelle but will only run at the Festival if the ground is soft enough.
He boosted his chances of retaining his title with victory for Unioniste in the Paul Stewart IronSpine Charity Challenge Gold Cup and others with Zarkandar, Far West and Shooters Wood.
Nicholls had been sweating on Unioniste's participation in the Paul Stewart IronSpine Charity Challenge Gold Cup in the days leading up to the race because he was a reserve and was allowed to take part only after another horse was withdrawn.
Nicholls' pre-race confidence in Unioniste's chances about him giving him his third win in the showcase race over two and a half miles were justified as the youngster powered to a 11-length victory under Harry Derham.
Nicholls said: "You wouldn't just chuck any four-year-old horse in a race like that but he's the ultimate professional and he knows what he's at."
Zarkandar threw down the gauntlet to his Cheltenham Festival rivals with a win in the StanJames.com International Hurdle under Ruby Walsh.
Zarkandar, winner of the Triumph Hurdle at the 2011 Festival, underlined his claims to be the best two-mile hurdler in Britain and Ireland with victory over Champion Hurdle rivals Grandouet and Rock On Ruby.
Nicholls said: "I'm really looking forward to getting him right for the Champion Hurdle."
Far West is firmly on course for the Festival too after he gained an easy success for Nicholls in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial under Walsh.
Nicholls said Shooters Wood will be lightly campaigned before the Festival after he made it two wins out of two at Prestbury Park with his dramatic success under Walsh in the Jenny Mould Memorial Handicap Chase.
Nicholls' main championship rival Nicky Henderson won the Osborne House Relkeel Hurdle with the high-class Oscar Whisky, who was gaining the tenth victory of his 14-race career.
Trainer Mark Bradstock paid tribute to the staying power of Coneygree after the gelding set himself up for a trip to the Festival with a gutsy win in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.
Bradstock said: "Mattie said the horse was wanting to go a bit quicker, but I thought he was going fast enough in that ground. He's tough and he gets three miles."
Highland Lodge won the Ryman Stationary Novices' Chase for trainer Emma Lavelle but will only run at the Festival if the ground is soft enough.
