Mr Pointment trimmed after Nicholls vote of confidence

Luke Williams - 18 Mar 2008

Sky Bet have trimmed Mr Pointment into 20/1 from 25/1 for next month's Grand National after man-of-the-moment Paul Nicholls said he expected him to put his below-par display at Doncaster behind him.

The nine-year-old leapt to the head of the ante-post lists for the Aintree showpiece with a faultless display over the National fences in the Becher Chase in November.

Although he was no match for current favourite Cloudy Lane in the Grimthorpe on Town Moor, Nicholls believes there were excuses.

"He's still on target (for the National)," said the champion trainer.

"It was a bit disappointing the way he ran that day but in hindsight I'm convinced he had a little bleed, not outwardly, but I think that is just him anyway.

"I'm not convinced he was enjoying the ground anyway. If you watch it again he didn't jump at all and he sometimes can have an off-day.

"But he has worked hard since and I'm going to put that behind me and just try to get him there in as good a form as I can," Nicholls told At The Races.

Sky Bet have also been busy on the Lincoln front ahead of Saturday's contest at Doncaster.

Favourite Zaahid is 5/1 from 7/1, Smokey Oakey is 11/2 from 12/1 and Yeamans Hall is 12/1 from 20/1.






Tags

You might also be interested in: