Grand National Key To Trainers' Title

The British jump racing Champion trainer title has continued to be a duel between Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson in the last decade or so following the dominating period of Martin Pipe. This season has been no different as they go head to head in the final key fixtures of the season knowing that a Grand National victory would all but seal the title for either team.

Nicky Henderson is the current 1/3 favourite as he looks to retain last season’s title and add to his four overall. As things stand (03/04/2018) Henderson has amassed 123 winners and 186 places from his 450 runners which just shows the incredible season he is having. His prize money haul currently stands at a stunning £2,709,367.28 and he holds a clear lead over Nicholls ahead of the Grand National meeting.

Henderson is coming to Aintree on the back of a fruitful Cheltenham Festival in which several of his stable stars did the business on the biggest stage of all. Firstly it was Buveur D’Air who landed his second Champion hurdle in succession and a handy £266,384 in first place prize money. Altior then followed up in day two’s show piece event, the Queen Mother Champion Chase, firmly stamping himself as the top horse in training. This was another key boost to his title chances with first placed prize money of £227,800. His final impressive result from Cheltenham was the classy Might Bite as he finished second in the Gold Cup having looked the likely winner throughout the contest. This resulted in prize money of £138,772.51 for connections.

Henderson now heads to the Grand National festival hoping his key principals can again deliver and boost his already impressive prize money total for the season. He is also likely to be represented in the marque event but, incredibly, the National is still one of the races to elude the Champion trainer. He is set to be represented by the improving 8 year old stayer Gold Present who is looking to come back to his early season form following a lacklustre display in the Ultima Handicap Chase in which he was pulled up having gone off a well fancied top weight in the race. Gold Present had looked an improved performer previously when beating the likes of the Nicholls trained Frodon and could just provide Henderson with his first winner of the big race. The latest Grand National 2018 odds make Gold Present 20/1 for the race.

Paul Nicholls is the current 5/2 second favourite for the title as he looks to regain his title from the 2015/16 season and enhance his stunning record of 10 titles since 2005. As things stand (03/04/2018) Nicholls’ stats stands at 110 winners and 249 places from his 486 runners. He looks to have a mountain to climb however as his prize money currently stands at £2,097,109.70 meaning he has over £610,000 to find to catch Nicky Henderson. With the Grand National providing £561,300 for the winner it goes to show the importance that this could have on the title race.

Nicholls continues to dominate many of the key Saturday races but following his past list of stars such as Kauto Star, Denman, Big Buck’s and Masterminded he has struggled for a real star in recent times. Nicholls went into the recent Cheltenham Festival with low expectations of horses that, despite looking to have good chances, none were banker material. He entered the final day of the Festival still without a winner but ended in celebration as both Pacha Du Polder and Le Prezien landed the spoils. Pacha Du Polder firstly landed the Foxhunter Steeplechase at odds of 18/1 and in the process retained his title from the 2017 edition of the race. Le Prezien then landed the final race of the meeting; the Grand Annual Chase, having been subject to a huge gamble for the same race the previous year before running disappointingly.

Nicholls now heads to the Grand National meeting knowing the big one has even more importance as he looks to erode the deficit in prize money behind Henderson. His main contender for the race is the Trevor Hemmings’ owned 9 year old Vicente who looks to have the right attributes to go close in the contest. The latest Grand National 2018 betting has the horse at odds of 20/1. Vicente was quietly fancied by many for the 2017 running of the race before falling early on but he does need to improve following two recent poor performances. Vicente is a dual Scottish Grand National winner so is a thorough stayer and must have a solid chance if he can bring his best form into the race.

Nicholls has also trained a winner of the Grand National when the classy Neptune Collonges won on his final start in the 2012 race. This was a stunning victory as he battled on to lead on the line winning in a photo finish by a nose from the gallant Sunnyhillboy. This was the shortest winning margin in the history of the race. Check out the race below to see the stunning final stages of the iconic race.