Paul Nicholls

Paul Nicholls' Ditcheat Diary: I won't give up in the Trainers' Championship

Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls
Listen to Paul Nicholls reflect on Aintree and discuss his plans

Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls is the outsider in the three-way Trainers' Championship race but he knows what it takes to win, as he tells Betfair's Barry Orr in this week's Ditcheat Diary...

  • "We need to win some big races," says Paul Nicholls

  • Team Ditcheat satisfied with Aintree performances

  • Bravemansgame and Pic D'Orhy will bounce back


Big fornight will settle Trainers' Championship

Willie Mullins' win in the Grand National means he is the favourite to take the Trainers' Championship, with Paul Nicholls third favourite behind Dan Skelton.

The Betfair ambassador is not giving up, though, and knows exactly what it takes to come from behind and win the Championship, as he explained:

"It looks like it will go straight down to the wire and we are looking forward to it. We will do our best and we never get give up.

"We have been there before. Eight years ago we were going into the last two weeks of the season at about £180K behind Willie and 8/19.00 against to win. We had a great time and a brilliant day at Sandown.

"We need to win some big races and make some big money. I would love to see the weather dry up. We will keep trying. There are lots of races to come at Ayr and Cheltenham and then the big meeting at Sandown."


Listen to Paul Nicholls' Ditcheat Diary


Sans Bruit stars at Aintree

Paul did not have anything in the Grand National on Saturday but Team Ditcheat runners acquitted themselves well elsewhere at last week's Aintree Festival.

He said: "I was very pleased with Sans Bruit winning The Red Rum Handicap Chase.

"The disappointments were Bravemansgame and Pic D'Orhy but both of those horses want better ground if they are to perform at their best. Both will bounce back.

"Bravemansgame had the wrong ground all season. Next season might be completely different for him.

"On the whole, Aintree was a good meeting for us. We had a couple of nice winners at Plumpton and Hereford on Sunday too. They kept the ball rolling for us ahead of a big couple of weeks.

"As for what to look out for this week, Il Ridoto runs in the 14:40 at Cheltenham on Wednesday. He always runs well there."


Now read Daryl Carter's Tips: 5/2 Kelso NAP headlines three Monday selections


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