Paul Nicholls Aintree Day 3 Runners: Track will suit Absolutely Doyen on Grand National Saturday

Onwards and upwards as Team Ditcheat win £2m

I was delighted to pass the £2m prize money mark for the season at Aintree on Thursday. This achievement reflects very well on the team at Ditcheat, especially in a season when we lost Kalif Du Berlais, and saw Caldwell Potter ruled out through injury, as well as losing other good horses. We have done very well to reach not far off 90 winners and will do our best to reach 100 in the next few weeks. 

Everyone at Ditcheat has put a lot of work in this season and I can't thank them enough. It is onwards and upwards now. I bought three new horses last night and we are building a strong team for the future. I cannot wait for next season.

Listen to Racing...Only Bettor's Grand National Day Preview

Blueking excites as trio impress on day one at Aintree 

Pic d'Orhy ran well at Aintree on Thursday. I still think he performs best nowadays after a really long break between races, so he wasn't quite at his best. He was travelling ok, made one mistake which put him on the back foot and if it had not been for that he may well have finished second. But he ran a good race, finished third and earned more prize money. He won't run again this season but you could see him in something like the Charlie Hall in the autumn. 

Sans Bruit has plenty of mileage on the clock and it is hard to win a competitive handicap three years on the trot but I was proud of him for his run in the Red Rum on Thursday. He ran very well, perhaps he was not as good as last year but the winner and the second were pretty sharp. I was delighted with him and he will go to Ayr next Saturday. 

Blueking d'Oroux's second at Aintree on Thursday may have been his career best run over fences. He jumped really well. He was a bit unlucky and made one bad mistake at the third last, at a crucial point in the race, and was careful to wing the last and stayed on very strong. If he had jumped the third last cleanly it would have been an interesting race but he is going forward and will be very exciting next season. 

The other thing that happened on Thursday was Minella Yoga's win at Taunton. He won with his head in his chest, which you would expect really, but it has qualified him for a £100K novice handicap final at Sandown on the last day of the season and that's where he will head if the ground is ok.

Paul Nicholls' Grand National Day runner at Aintree 

William Hill Handicap Hurdle, Aintree, 13:20 - Absolutely Doyen

He won five on the trot before the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival last month. His best form was at Wincanton and Musselburgh, so he was winning on flat tracks, and I think Aintree will suit him better than Cheltenham. At 135, for what he's done, he probably hasn't got too much left in the tank handicap wise. He will be novice chasing in the autumn. Hopefully he will run very well.

Now read about Katie Midwinter's 80/1 Grand National fancy