Paul Nicholls: It's Aintree rather than Cheltenham for Sanctuaire

An impressive win this week had bookmakers quick to offer low quotes about Sanctuaire in the Arkle, but as Paul has already pointed out, the Festival was never likely to be his main target

With some bookmakers prematurely cutting Sanctuaire to 14-1 for the Arkle after his impressive chasing debut at Taunton earlier in the week, I told punters to hold fire with their Cheltenham bets - and that advice has hardened after speaking to his owner Jared Sullivan this week.

Cheltenham-wise, you never rule anything out 100 per cent at this stage of the season - after all, so much can happen to the leading contenders - but it looks increasingly like Sanctuaire will go to Sandown on February 24 and then straight to Aintree.

Why wouldn't I go down the Arkle route with such a talented hurdler who took to fences so well at Taunton?

Well, firstly, it is a very hot race this year; secondly, I feel that 2m on a flat track like Aintree will suit him better than Cheltenham, and he can go to Liverpool and take on the Arkle participants as a fresh horse; and thirdly, Ruby wouldn't be available to ride him at Cheltenham because he will be on Al Ferof.

We decided this week to only enter two horses for the Grand National, Niche Market and Neptune Collonges, for which the weights are announced in London on February 14. Earlier in the season I toyed with the idea of aiming Tidal Bay at the race, but he simply doesn't jump well enough for Aintree.

Don't get me wrong, he delighted me when second to Midnight Chase in the Argento - though I was rather surprised to be told that he traded at odds of 4-11 in-running on Betfair - and the plan for him now is to run in the Gold Cup and then the Betfred Bowl at Aintree.

Neptune Collonges was due to run at Sandown's abandoned meeting on Saturday but we will sit down and re-assess our plans with him. We will consider the National for him if he gets a decent weight - I think he is still on a stiff enough mark on 159 at the moment - but he has plenty of options, including the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury on February 11, before then.

Niche Market was fifth in the National last year, albeit beaten 23 lengths, and I am happy enough with his current mark of 142. We are just ticking him over at the moment and have earmarked a veteran chase at Newbury on March 3 as his next start, having finished second in the Becher on heavy ground in December last time.

I think those at Aintree, and the TV viewers, will hope the horse doesn't win though, as I gather his owner Graham Regan has threatened to ride the horse he calls "The Niche" into the winners' enclosure naked if he does!

The Grand National promises from Graham seem to be getting more extreme, as last year he apparently told everyone at the Weights Lunch that he would take out his teeth for the winning interview with Sue Barker.

You could say that Graham is something of a character.

Paul Nicholls / 3 Feb 2012