When it comes to strength and depth among the teams from those yards bidding for glory at this year’s Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree, trainer Paul Nicholls can proudly both boast in equal measure.
Although prospects of securing a record equalling 15th Jump Trainers’ Championship appear to look slim, that picture could all change for the Ditcheat handler depending on results at the iconic Merseyside venue.
With five darts to aim at the Randox Grand National, which is worth a hefty £500,000 to the winner, along with a host of lively Grade One contenders, it is easy to see why there is such excitement building in the camp down at Manor Farm Stables.
And with his yard appearing to be firing on all cylinders after a difficult winter the prospects of Nicholls, who is an ambassador for Betfair, embracing the winner’s enclosure at Aintree appear to be strong.
Nicholls said: “We’ve got a nice team with some nice chances, but it is lovely to be heading there with some good horses. They are all hard races to win up there, but I suppose Kalif du Berlais would be our best chance in the Maghull on Saturday.
“You always say if you walk away with one winner at Cheltenham and Aintree anything on top of that is a bonus. We are not out of the trainers’ championship yet, but we have got to win the Grand National. We have done it before and we have some lovely horses to run in the race.
“However, if I win the Grand National we would still need a few other winners in the week to catch Dan (Skelton) and it would be hard, but you can never-say-never."
PAUL NICHOLLS AINTREE TEAM
AFADIL (Hallgarten And Novum Wines Handicap Hurdle)
“I thought Afadil had won the Imperial Cup, but he is like that as what he does a bit is pull up.
“You have got to ride him brave and put his head on the line. If you put it in front before that he often manages to find one to beat him.
“Freddie will have to ride him with balls of steel and not commit too soon on him. He ran really well in this race last year, and the Scottish Champion Hurdle, so hopefully he will go well again.”
BRAVEMANSGAME (Randox Grand National)
“Bravemansgame is a King George winner that has dropped from a mark of 167 to 155 and you could argue that he is starting to get well handicapped for a Grade One winner.
“He looks amazing and he schooled well on Monday. Harry (Cobden) said schooling him that he still feels like a 160 rated horse.
“My only fear with him is if he over jumps as the last three or four races he has just been jumping a bit big.
“If he enjoys it he is well capable of running well and if he wins it we would all look back and think he is well handicapped.”
CALDWELL POTTER (Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices’ Chase)
“Caldwell Potter was obviously very good at Cheltenham. Whether this is too soon after Cheltenham we won’t know until the day, but he seems very well at home.
“There is no reason not to run him, but I just want to make sure there is enough ease in the ground. He ran better on better ground at Cheltenham the last day and sprung off it.
“My view is that on that better ground going three miles one furlong is the better thing to do.
“He suddenly came right before Cheltenham. He had only really run on heavy ground before the Festival, but it might be that he likes better ground. With him we have just got to keep his feet right.
“It was a fantastic performance by the horse at Cheltenham and it was massive for him more than anything with all the stick he has got. He did that well and looked very good. I’m sure we have not scratched the surface yet. I would like to see if he gets this trip.”
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GINNY’S DESTINY (Randox Supporting Prostate Cancer UK Topham Handicap Chase)
“Ginny’s Destiny runs in the Topham and I always thought he would jump these fences quite nicely.
"He showed a bit of a return to form the last day, but he hasn’t really been finishing his races.
"Harry said the last day to put a tongue strap and some cheekpieces on him as he felt he might have been saving a bit.
“He has worked nicely and he jumped well at home on Monday. Harry is dead keen to ride him.
"He has been frustrating this season, but I’ve been there before with horses like him who get on a roll then have a couple of hard Grade One races and it can be hard to get over them. Hopefully this can spark him back to form.”
HITMAN (Randox Grand National)
“Hitman has been running amazingly all season. He was second in the Old Rioan, then second in the handicap chase at Ascot, before coming second in the Denman Chase again.
“On his day he is a very good horse. I wouldn’t be surprised if he took to it and if he does he will give Freddie (Gingell) a good spin.
“I originally thought he might be one to enter and stick in the sale as the boys might have got a few quid for him, but the boys were keen to have a runner.
“He has taken his form to a good level, but he is probably just on the limit of his mark.
“He has got to prove his stamina as he has never been further than three miles, but the ground is decent and it is not like it is a slog in the mud.”
KALIF DU BERLAIS (Rosconn Group Maghull Novices’ Chase)
“We have saved Kalif Du Berlais for this. I’m sure if he had run in the Arkle he would have run well in it. He is fresh, while a lot of them will have raced at Cheltenham.
“He is a gorgeous horse that goes very well. He is one of my best chances and coming back to two miles will suit him well.
“John (Hales, part owner) had just died before his last run and I didn’t really have any other options to go with him except for the Grade One at Sandown Park.
“We took a chance in it, but he just hated the heavy ground and he didn’t get the trip. Sandown Park is a stiff old track and he is a speed horse so this should be ideal for him.”
KANDOO KID (Randox Grand National)
“Kandoo Kid ran well in the Topham last season and we have basically trained him for the race all season. Our plan was the Coral Gold Cup, which he won, and the Grand National.
“He had that race in between in the Greatwood Gold Cup just to sharpen him up and keep him on track.
"That two and a half mile trip was too short for him, while he also had twelve stone on his back, and he is a proper true stayer.
“Coral Gold Cup winners have got a good record in the race and that is why Harry is riding him.
"We think some of the others are a bit exposed and we think he could have a bit more improvement and be well handicapped.
“He jumped great last year in the Topham, and stayed on strong, and I thought then he has Grand National written all over him. He looks great.”
MONMIRAL (William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap Hurdle/Ivy Liverpool Hurdle)
“Monmiral will probably go for the Liverpool Hurdle. He has got it all to do, and he probably wants the ground softer, but we haven’t got many options to run him in. "He missed the Cheltenham Festival as he just got cast in his box, but he is fine now.
“He ran well at the meeting last year on the back of winning the Pertemps. He is not a million miles behind them on ratings, and I’m sure he will run well, but he is not quite a Grade One horse. He could run into a place.”
REGENT’S STROLL (Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle)
“Regent’s Stroll schooled on Monday and I’m keen to get another run into him before the season is out. My only concern is the occasion.
“We are going to pop him in a hood and let him run in that. He came to Wincanton the last day just to have a day out and relax, which he did.
“He has got to learn to cope with these occasions as hopefully he will be back there next year in a novice chase.
“He wasn’t mentally ready to go to the Cheltenham Festival this season. My aim for him is novice chasing in the autumn. Staying chasing will be his job in time as he wants a trip.
“It is nice to be back in a Grade One with him. I just want him to run well and enjoy the experience."
RUBAUD (EBC Group Manifesto Novices’ Chase)
“Rubaud has won plenty of Grade Two races, but he is yet to win a Grade One. This is probably one of the toughest races he will have been in as it looks like being a good race.
“He is tough and genuine and he will love the ground. I’m not saying he is going to win, but he should run well.
“I thought the ground was too soft at Kempton in the Pendil, but I didn’t think he would get two and a half miles, but he did, and he won well.
“Conditions for him are ideal, but he has got to raise his game here though to win a Grade One, however he is fresh.”
SANS BRUIT (Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase)
“Sans Bruit is going back to the Red Rum. He won the race last year and he is back down to the same mark of 130 that he won it off last year and he looks fantastic.
“I think he is a horse that comes good in the spring and it wouldn’t surprise me if he ran very well. He has run a fair bit on heavy ground, which he doesn’t really like.
“He ran very well on his comeback in the Haldon Gold Cup and he was a good third at Ascot after that. He has run a bit disappointing since Christmas, but the handicapper has given him a chance.”
STAGE STAR (Brooklands Golden Miller Chronograph Bowl Chase)
“Grey Dawning is probably the one to beat here, but I’d like to think we have a nice chance. We stepped him up to this sort of trip in the Cotswold Chase and he seemed to love it.
“I think the three mile one furlong trip here will really suit him. We have been to Aintree a few times before with him and he has run disappointingly, but two of those times have come off the back of running at the Cheltenham Festival.
“He loves to be fresh so we have purposely trained him for this race and he hasn’t been in any scraps like some of the others. He has not been away for a gallop or anything like that as he really does need to be fresh."
STAY AWAY FAY (Randox Grand National)
“Stay Away Fay has got to come back to form. He ran alright at Cheltenham the other day in the Ultima.
"He missed the break and he was on the back foot then and it never really happened. He jumped round, and jumped well, and he has improved since then. He hasn’t been right for a while, but he is just starting to show signs that he is coming right.
“I always thought he would be a Grand National horse. He ran in some good races and they were quoting him for the Gold Cup, but I never thought he would be one for that as he just lacks a gear. I felt he would be a good horse for the Grand National and here we are.”
SWINGIN SAFARI (Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race)
“I’ve got a nice horse to run in the bumper on Saturday called Swingin Safari. He won on good ground at Wincanton before finishing fourth in the Listed bumper at Ascot before Christmas.
"He has improved quite a lot so hopefully he could be in with a squeak.”
THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE (Randox Grand National)
“Threeunderthrufive is a grand horse that is tough and genuine. He ran well at Ascot on his last start.
“He was fourth in a Scottish Grand National so we know he stays well. He is probably just on the limit of his handicap, but I could see him running a good race.
“If he was five pounds lower it would probably help him, but if he takes to the fences he is worth that and he is a good solid stayer that jumps and gallops all day."
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