Paul Nicholls sends a strong team of eight to Wincanton on Saturday including stable legend Frodon who he is very happy with, while the Betfair Ambassador also has two runners at Aintree...
- Paul says conditions are ideal for McFabulous
- Legend Frodon could have most to fear from stablemate
- Knappers Hill is improving fast and has a great chance
- But who does Paul say is his best chance of a winner?
Wincanton
Good chance in race I'd dearly love to win
12:40 - Sabrina
I was pleased and a bit surprised at the way Sabrina kept on to finish second at Newton Abbot last month because I thought she would just need the run. That should have put her spot on for this race which I would dearly love to win as it is named after my great friend Richard Barber.
Our talented 10lbs claiming conditional Freddie Gingell gave her a good ride that day and it makes sense for him to keep the mount as she is not very big. The more rain at Wincanton the better for Sabrina, a likeable mare with a willing attitude.
Conditions ideal for class act
13:15 - McFabulous
We put his chasing career on hold after a minor setback 12 months ago. His schooling over fences has always been good and he just has to go and do it on the track now. My plan was to take him to Chepstow last month but the ground was too quick then so he is straight into Grade 2 company at Wincanton.
Two miles, five furlongs on a flat track on decent ground is ideal for McFabulous who ended last season in top form over hurdles. He's a class act, looks better than ever and hopefully he will be hard to beat.
Very happy with Frodon who will love the ground
13:50 - Frodon
He is a legend and I was planning to take him back to Down Royal for the Grade 1 Chase he won in gutsy style a year ago. But he doesn't want deep ground so it made sense to switch him to the Badger Beer close to home. An injury he sustained at the Cheltenham Festival meant we couldn't run him again last season and we also re-cauterised his palate over the summer.

He was back in training on July 1 and the handicapper has tempted us to run him in a handicap after dropping him 6lbs to a mark of 158. Frodon will love the ground at Wincanton and will be much better carrying a big weight in a handicap I always target rather than slogging round in testing conditions at Down Royal. I'm very happy with him.
In really good shape and could be the one to beat
13:50 - Enrilo
He was disappointing last season and looking back now I don't think he was ever right. He had problems with his teeth and I suspect that his wind was also troubling him again. So we re-cauterised his palate and he seems a different horse this autumn.
I've felt all along that if we can get Enrilo right there is a big race in him and he is in really good shape now. He starts this season off a mark of 143 and it could just be that Frodon is the one he has to beat.
Can put Chepstow run to good use
14:25 - Hugos New Horse
He ran with promise at Chepstow a month ago where he was still a little green on his debut over hurdles. He was prominent the whole way that day and kept on nicely to finish runner up to the well backed favourite. He has come on for that run and can hopefully put that experience to good use in this novice hurdle.
Improving fast and has a great chance
15:00 - Knappers Hill
I was thrilled with the way Knappers Hill quickened up to beat a competitive field of runners in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow last month and his jumping is so much slicker now. After winning eight times from eleven starts it was a question of him either carrying 12 stone in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham against 25 opponents or taking on three in the Elite.
Sceaux Royal is a tough, admirable horse, has won the Elite for the last two years and will be hard to beat but he has to give us 6lbs while we are improving fast. Knappers Hill continues to please at home and I don't see dropping back in trip as an issue because all his form last season was over two miles. I'd like to think he has a great chance.
Improved plenty for recent outing
15:35 - Don Alvaro
He is a fun horse for our West Country tracks and needed the run at Newton Abbot three weeks ago over a trip of three and a quarter miles that proved too far for him. This trip of two and a half miles is much more suitable for Don Alvaro who has improved plenty for the outing and has a nice, low racing weight.
Ready to go and should run well
16:05 - Kick Up A Storm
He is a nice type by Shantou, with a decent pedigree, and has done plenty at home working with some of our other four-year-old bumper horses that have been doing so well in recent weeks. He is ready to go provided the ground is safe at Wincanton and should run tidily.
Aintree
Fit and well ahead of final run over hurdles
13:01 - Milan Bridge
He was all set to go chasing now after winning three times over hurdles last season. But as I couldn't find a suitable race for him in the next fortnight, he is having one more run over hurdles. He was progressive last winter, is fit and well and has a light weight to carry in this three mile handicap. He doesn't want the ground too soft.
Solid jumper deserves his crack at valuable prize
14:11 - Broken Halo
He is at his best in the mud so the more rain they get at Aintree the more he will enjoy it. He was always going to improve over fences, won twice from four starts last winter, and looks to be on a workable mark for his first crack at the National fences over a trip that suits. He's a good, solid jumper and deserves a shot at this valuable race.
Best Chance:
Hugos New Horse - 14:25. Wincanton. He can go one better after a promising debut over hurdles at Chepstow.
Paul's Ditcheat Decs - Watch below...
Racing... Only Bettor - Watch below...