The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Nicholls looks to National in bid to keep top trainer crown
Champion trainer looks to Grand National in bid to keep his crown
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is facing an uphill battle to keep hold of his crown but is fielding a five-strong army in the Randox Health Grand National in an attempt to keep the title.
Nicholls was in a similar predicament in 2012, with Nicky Henderson aiming to wrestle his mantle away, when Neptune Collonges won the race in a photo-finish to give him both a first Grand National and another trainers’ title.
With Saphir Du Rheu, Wonderful Charm, Le Mercurey, Vicente and Just A Par, Nicholls has given himself, numerically a least, a good chance of pulling off a similar feat.
“It had been the one race that had eluded us so to finally do it was brilliant,” Nicholls told talkSport2.
“It’s the one race a year that everybody knows, so to win it is an amazing experience
“Saphir finished fifth in the Gold Cup, which was a good run and he wasn’t beaten far.
“If he repeats that form he’d have to have a massive chance.
“Wonderful Charm ran a great race in the Foxhunter, but the only thing is he is 11lb badly in since Cheltenham as he’s been dropped to a more realistic mark but is running off his old one, so he’s got it all to do. He can jump, he stays and he wants decent ground.”
He went on: “I think Le Mercurey is being underrated. He was second to Many Clouds at Aintree in the autumn, second to Native River at Newbury in the Denman Chase. He loves good ground. He’s got a touch of class and has under 11st, but the ground is the most important thing. I probably shouldn’t have run him at Kelso last time.
“Vicente always comes good this time of year. He’s always been off in his coat all winter. He was the same a year ago and came good at Ayr in the Scottish National. He has come right in his coat which is good.
“Just A Par won a Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, he was beaten a head in it last year and the most crucial thing for him is the ground. If it stays dry it will suit him.”
Barry Geraghty is favourite to be leading rider over the three days of the meeting and is set to ride More Of That over Cause Of Causes in the big one.
More Of That was last seen when finishing sixth in the Gold Cup, while Cause Of Causes won the cross-country race at the Festival.
Geraghty looks likely to opt for the first-named, though, leaving Jamie Codd to once again get the leg-up on Cause Of Causes.
“Barry is set to ride More Of That, with Jamie ready to ride Cause Of Causes, though Barry is obviously waiting until the end to see if anything should change,” Frank Berry, owner JP McManus’ racing manager, told the Irish Independent.