Paul Nicholls retained
the Jump trainers' championship in thrilling fashion last season when Neptune
Collonges, ridden by Daryl Jacob, gave him his first success in the John
Smith's Grand National at Aintree in April.
The seven-time champion
trainer is targeting another big Aintree prize with Pacha Du Polder, who
is likely to runin the £65,000 Grade Two Betfred Monet's Garden Old Roan Chase
over two and a half miles on Saturday, October 27, 2012.
The five-year-old joined
Nicholls from France at the beginning of last season and won three of his five
starts including the Grade Two Future Champion Novices' Chase at Ayr by 14
lengths on his latest appearance in April.
The son of Muhtathir
also triumphed in great style at Warwick over an extended two and a half miles
in January and scored by a nose at Sandown over two miles in November.
Nicholls, who won the
Betfred Monet's Garden Old Roan Chase with the great Kauto Star in 2006,
revealed: "We are looking at starting off Pacha Du Polder in the Betfred
Monet's Garden Old Roan Chase. That is the plan but, if for any reason he
doesn't make it, Poquelin could go there.
"Pacha Du Polder is
fine and in top form. To win three races as a novice is ideal. He got better as
he went further last season and the Old Roan Chase looks like an ideal starting
point.
"I don't have any
longer term targets with him as he is a young horse and very lightly raced. I
hope there is more improvement in him, you always do from five to six, but we
will see when he runs."
Pacha Du Polder is
likely to clash with last year's winner Albertas Run, who captured the
limited handicap chase in determined fashion under 17-time champion Jump jockey
Tony McCoy, before going on to finish second in the Grade One Ryanair Chase at
the Cheltenham Festival and third in the Grade One John Smith's Melling Chase
at Aintree's Grand National Meeting.
The contest is run in
honour of three-time winner and Aintree specialist Monet's Garden for the
second year.
One of the most popular
chasers of recent times, Monet's Garden etched his name into Aintree folklore
with three sensational victories in the Grade Two limited handicap chase in
2007 (beating Kauto Star), 2009 and 2010 and also triumphed in the Grade One John
Smith's Melling Chase and the Liverpool Hurdle at the John Smith's Grand
National meeting.
The gallant grey, who
won 17 of his 32 races for trainer Nicky Richards and owner David Wesley Yates,
retired from racing in January, 2011 and battled bravely against a
life-threatening hoof infection which he is fully recovered from.
The 14-year-old, now
looked after by Richards' daughter Joey, paraded at Aintree before the running
of the Betfred Old Roan Chase last year and has already been to Aintree this year,
having attended as a show horse in July when he finished sixth in the retrained
racehorse class.
Betfred Old Roan Chase
Day, with the first race at 1.50pm, also features the £20,000 Betfred Mobile
Sports Veterans' Handicap Chase, which is for horses aged 10 and above.
Matalan Family Fun Day
on Sunday, October 28 is geared towards the younger generation with a number of
exciting activities off the track including the chance to meet Peppa Pig, a
medal craft workshop, pony riding and grooming, face painters, ride like a
jockey and dance classes with MDI.
The day has a fancy
dress competition with both children and adults encouraged to dress up as their
favourite sporting personalities of 2012.
Aintree will also host
its first edition of the M-Factor which invites the younger generation to show
off their talents and skills in front of a panel of judges for a chance of
winning a £2,000 prize, made up of £1,000 cash and £1,000 worth of Matalan
vouchers.
The racing highlights
are the £20,000 Weatherbys Hamilton Bloodstock Insurance Handicap Chase and the
£16,000 Pertemps Handicap Hurdle, with the first of seven races due off at
1.10pm.
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