Paul Nicholls: The busy road to Cheltenham

The master trainer discusses the choices that he has to make at a very busy time of year. Meanwhile, watch out Nicky Henderson...

With Cheltenham just around the corner, the Festival previews nights are upon us with a vengeance.

Clearly, trainers like myself are in great demand, and you have to try and strike a balance between promoting the sport by taking part, and spreading yourself too thinly at a very busy period.

I'm actually doing nine preview nights, which started at Exeter last night, which is probably three too many in all honesty.

But a lot of money can get raised for charities on these nights, so I fit them in when I can.

On Sunday, we open our doors to the Million In Mind partnership here at Ditcheat. About 150 of their members are expected. We will parade our horses and then move on to the Village Hall where myself, Anthony Bromley, Dan Skelton and Mark Howard will run through the Festival races. Then we will all home in on the Manor for a bit of rest and relaxation.

Then they start to come thick and fast; on March 5, we are again in Ditcheat for our local Hunt; on March 8, I'm in Fermoy in Ireland; on March 10, I'm in London for a Betfair evening; on March 11, I'm doing an evening for Alice Plunkett down in Dorset; on March 12, I'm at Sandown after the races and finally I finish up at Cheltenham on Sunday 13.

Then we have our annual eve of Festival quiz at the Manor on the Monday night.

After all that, the four day Festival should be a breeze.

Not!

On a different subject, it was good to get our 100th winner for the season on the board this week and, as I write this on Friday morning, I am only 73 off 2,000 winners.

I have apparently won more than £30m in prize money in that time, too.

So congratulations to Nicky Henderson for getting his 2,000 winners on the board recently - but remember I have 13 years on you, Nicky!

Paul Nicholls / 25 Feb 2011