Paul Nicholls: My runners at Newbury and Bangor

Paul has two runnners on Saturday as the Aintree build-up continues...

Before I run through my weekend runners, I would just like to say thank you to a few people.

Firstly, I would just like to say how much it meant to Georgie and I that so many people got in touch to wish Zara well. The good news is that she came home on Thursday, and is thankfully on the mend.

And, secondly, I would like to give Simon Claisse a big pat on the back for the ground he produced at Cheltenham. For Simon to produce that racing surface, after so little rain these past few months, was a real triumph. It was a very testing week for me - in fact, I will be glad to see the back of March - but none of my horses came back with any ground-related issues.

It is a quiet weekend for us as we gear up to Aintree, but let's hope we have a winner.

Saturday Runners
15:40, Newbury
Mon Parrain
Started the season as a bit of a talking horse but, although we entered him in races like the King George, I always urged caution when assessing his merits as a potential Grade 1 performer. Yes, he was incredibly impressive at Sandown first time up for me and looked like strolling home for much of the Topham, before he found Always Waining too strong on the run-in. The way he seemingly failed to see out the race that day left a nagging doubt in the back of my mind and he didn't run up expectations in the Paddy Power in November, although he ran a bit better when third over 3m2f at Cheltenham in December.
He is 2lb lower in the weights after those runs but to my eye he is still handicapped up to the hilt and this trip of 3m2f110yd is probably as far as he wants to go. But he will enjoy this flatter track and we gave him a breathing operation in January, so let's hope that can see him start to make the strides that many predicted for him at the start of this campaign.
He jumps superbly, and you may have seen him keep Kauto Star company in that racecourse gallop at Wincanton before Cheltenham. If he runs well here, we will go back to Aintree with him, for either the Topham, the 3m1f handicap or the Betfred Bowl.

15:20, Bangor
Sir Du Bearn
This race has cut up badly but he still has something to find on the book with Emmaslegend and Duke Of Lucca. But he is lightly-raced and progressing well. Has had his problems since coming to me after winning a hurdle in France but opened his account with a wide-margin win in heavy ground over 2m4f at Fontwell in January and showed improved form in defeat when a 3 ¼ length 3nd to Chariot Charger over 2m6f at the same track last time. His stamina is unproven over this trip, but he should be ok.

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Paul Nicholls / 24 Mar 2012