Caldwell Potter Impresses in Chasing Debut at Carlisle

Caldwell Potter delivered a polished performance to win his chasing debut in the Myles Turns 30 Novices’ Chase at Carlisle, living up to his lofty expectations. The €740,000 purchase made all the running under Harry Cobden, cruising to a five-length victory as the 2-11 favourite in the seven-runner field.

A Grade One-winning hurdler under previous trainer Gordon Elliott, the six-year-old had not raced since his Leopardstown triumph last Christmas. Now trained by Paul Nicholls, Caldwell Potter showcased his potential over fences, jumping confidently and securing a straightforward win.

Nicholls: "Just the Start We Wanted"

Nicholls was delighted with the grey’s debut effort, emphasising the importance of building experience.

“That was a good start, just what we wanted,” he said. “He jumped nicely and won well—it’s the first rung of the ladder, and I’m really pleased with him.”

The trainer highlighted Caldwell Potter’s relative inexperience, with this being just his fourth career run-over jumps.

“He’s got to learn, but this was a great step forward. We’ll now focus on quietly building his experience and letting him develop.”

Future Plans

While Nicholls refrained from committing to a specific target, the gelding’s impressive debut has seen bookmakers adjust his odds for major novice chases. Caldwell Potter is now 20-1 for the Arkle and remains 16-1 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

This promising performance marks the start of what could be a bright career over fences for Caldwell Potter.