Paul Nicholls Aintree Stable Tour

When it comes to happy hunting grounds the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree has been exactly that for trainer Paul Nicholls in recent seasons. 

The 14-time champion jumps trainer might have drawn a blank at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, but recent trends suggest he will come into his own at the Merseyside venue. 

Last season the Ditcheat handler enjoyed Grade One wins courtesy of Caldwell Potter in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase and the late Kalif Du Berlais in the Maghull Novices’ Chase, while Sans Bruit successfully defended his crown in the Red Rum Handicap Chase

There might be no Grand National runner among his team making the long journey up north from his Somerset base, but what Nicholls has assembled is another useful looking squad that is more than capable of making an impact. 

Nicholls said: “It is good to be able to send a nice team up to Aintree as it is a meeting that we always enjoy and have had some good success at. 

“Regent’s Stroll would appear to have a big chance of going one better than at the meeting last year over hurdles in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase and Sans Bruit has got a good chance of making it a hat-trick of wins in the Red Rum Chase.

“There are several others that would have good each-way claims as well so it is exciting and we are looking forward to it.”

(2.20pm Manifesto Novices’ Chase)

“We have decided to have a go for this as it is only a small field. He has been consistent all season and I think two and a half miles is his trip. 

“He won the Grade Two Rising Stars Novices’ Chase at Wincanton earlier in the season, but this is a hot race and he will need a career best to win. 

“The cheekpieces seemed to really help him at Kempton Park last time out so we have kept them on him again.”

(2.55pm Racing Welfare Bowl Chase)

“He ran arguably a career best the other day when putting it up to Jonbon in the Ascot Chase. It was a performance as good as some of his wins without a shadow of a doubt.

“I think the Melling looks the slightly hotter race and this race, as I thought it would do, has cut up a bit. 

“He did have a hard race last time out but he seems well at home. He has gone well at Aintree before as he won the Melling up there a few years back. 

“The ground is in his favour and I definitely think he is better over a trip like this now.I’m looking forward to running him.”

(3.30pm Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase)

“He ran very well at the Cheltenham Festival in the hunters’ chase race there. The more water they put on the better for him in a lot of ways. I just hope dropping back to two miles and five furlongs is not a bit quick for him. 

“I would say the extended three and a quarter mile trip at Cheltenham would have suited him better as he stays well. However, he is a good solid jumper, but over this trip he would like the ground soft. Hopefully, he can be thereabouts though as he has run well all season.”

(4.40pm Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase)

“He has won this race the last two years, but he always comes good this time of year. 

“To be honest last season he ran terribly all winter, and he has done the same this season, for some reason he just doesn’t operate in the winter. 

“He looks great in his coat and the ground is in his favour. I would like to think he will run very well. He is on a good mark, which is only three pounds higher than last year and the year before. This time of year suits him as does this race.”

(1.45pm William Hill Handicap Hurdle)

“He needs to put a couple of ordinary runs behind him to be honest with you, but he is well capable, however he is best with a bit of cut in the ground. 

“It didn’t happen at Ascot last time as he missed the first and the ground was a bit faster than we thought. 

“He has dropped another couple of pounds in the weights, but you probably won’t see the best of him until we go chasing with him in the autumn.”

(2.20pm William Hill Mildmay Novices’ Chase)

“He is going to be one of our big hopes for the meeting. The ground will be right for him and he ran very well at Aintree last season over hurdles. 

“He ran very well at the Cheltenham Festival in the Jack Richards, but my feeling immediately afterwards was that he wants three miles. 

“He is relaxing now and is racing sensibly so I would like to think he has got a lovely chance. 

“He is a totally different horse to the one we had at the start of the season. 

“The first day against Wendigo, and all of them, he just cleared off and was too free, and silly, but then he stayed on very well. He is much better now and a much more solid jumper. 

“I think he has got a bit more boot than Caldwell Potter, but whether he has got as much class as him, we will find out here.”

(4.05pm Randox Topham Handicap Chase)

“He ran well in the Grand National last year, but that trip was too far for him. He won the Old Roan earlier in the season up at Aintree. 

“He loves to be fresh and he loves Aintree, but he is handicapped right to the hilt. Things haven’t quite happened for him in his last two starts, but he is nice and fresh now so hopefully he will run well.”

(4.05pm Randox Topham Handicap Chase)

“I thought the Topham might be a nice race for Viroflay as touchwood he is a good solid jumper. He has got a lovely weight and I could see him having a nice each-way chance. 

“He has run some good races this season and the trip will be fine, as is the ground. He is not without a chance. 

“Olive (Nicholls) obviously knows him well so that is a massive plus as well.”

(4.40pm Oddschecker Sefton Novices’ Hurdle)

“I would like to see some rain for him and he has got an entry at Punchestown. I want it to be good to soft to run him. We might leave him in and just see what happens. 

“He has been fantastic this season. His best runs in my point of view where when he won the Grade Two races at Cheltenham and Sandown Park on soft ground as he loves soft ground. 

“He got away with winning the Challow Hurdle at Newbury on decent ground because of the race it was. You can then put a line through his run in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

“The step up to three miles will be no problem, as in hindsight if I knew how the ground was going to be I would have gone in the Albert Bartlett at the Festival.”

(4.40pm Oddschecker Sefton Novices’ Hurdle)

“Talk To The Man is an improving young horse. He ran really nicely in a smart bumper on his second start for us last season, but he is a horse that has just needed time. 

“We have given him that time and he is now progressing nicely having won at Taunton and then at Newbury. This is a step up in trip, but he won his point-to-point over three miles so he should get it.

“He is an exciting young horse and is worth a go in a race like this. He will run well.”

(5.15pm Debenhams Handicap Hurdle)

“He was third in this race in 2024 but he never really threatened in it twelve months ago. He is now six pounds lower than last year and he has run well in defeat a couple of times this season. The ground will be ideal for him as he likes a decent surface.”

(5.15pm Debenhams Handicap Hurdle)

“He was second to the Albert Bartlett winner Johnny’s Jury at Exeter and then he won at Wincanton,  before he ran well in defeat in the Victor Ludorum at Haydock Park. 

“It was a good run in the Fred Winter to finish fourth as he stayed on well. He probably wants a bit further than two miles, but he is improving all the time. 

“He has a nice weight and he would have a chance in a race like this as he has been consistent all season.”

(12.45pm William Hill Handicap Hurdle)

“He has been a real money spinner for the yard this season, but it might have been that it was one step too far in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham, however he still ran a solid enough race in defeat. 

“He has had six runs now, and hopefully he will keep his form, but he has got a tough task in a race like this with plenty of runners. I’m hoping he has not done all his winning for this season just yet before we go chasing with him next season. 

“I think he might well be suited to the flatter track here than the one at Cheltenham.”