The Aintree festival has passed and sadly we didn’t get the outcome we needed. We left the festival with a £320,000 deficit behind title leader Nicky Henderson. It leaves us with Everest to climb to try to retain the title. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Last weekend Contre Tous brought up the 152nd winner of the season. Paul’s best ever tally is 155, so fingers crossed we can surpass that tally as it would be a terrific achievement.

Furthermore, we have earned over £2.1 million in prize money and with two Grade 1 winners, the season has been fairly successful all in all.

San Benedeto gave everyone a reason to smile at Aintree last weekend when bagging the Maghull Novices’ Chase. Potentially a lucky scorer after stablemate Politologue appeared to trip up strides after the last fence allowing Nick Scholfield to run down Forest Bihan in the shadows of the post. It was great to win a Grade 1 at a big meeting and to do so with a horse like San Benedeto, has gone from winning a Sedgefield novice chase last May to a Grade 1 in just under a year. It also supplied owner Paul And Ruth Vogt with their first Grade 1 winner. A day they will never forget.

Sadly our luck ended there, the National was fruitless with Le Mercurey finishing the best of our quintet in 11th. Both our fallers, Saphir Du Rheu and Vicente, are fine and live to fight another day. As De Mee ran well in the Topham, leading over the last before fading into fifth on the run in, while Pacha Du Polder backed up his Cheltenham win with another fine effort to finish fourth in the Foxhunters.

GOOD WEEK ELSEWHERE

But life went on outside of Aintree and I had a busy week. I took five runners to Wincanton last Wednesday and saddled two winners. San Satiro showed his appreciation for good ground and we introduced a lovely bumper horse called Diamond Guy, who ran in the colours of Valerie Roach, to score by a massive 28 lengths under Harry Cobden. He is a horse for your notebook going into next season.

On Thursday I was at Taunton with four runners and we saddled a double, with Garo De Juilley, owned by the Ditcheat Thoughbreds, and Black Corton. Both were given excellent rides by Nick Scholfield. I went to Aintree on Friday. It was my first visit to the festival and I had a great day bumping into a few friendly faces.

Saturday brought me to Chepstow. We had two runners and Boa Island got the ball rolling with a win in the novices’ handicap chase under Jack Sherwood. We also ran another lovely bumper horse in Mont Des Avaloirs. A full-brother to Le Prezien, he ran a lovely race to finish second and is again one to keep an eye on when he gets soft ground next season.

Finally, my week ended with a trip to Market Rasen. Leaving the yard at 5.30 am on Sunday morning, Gemma, Channon and I took three runners up to Lincolnshire. Deamcatching got us off the mark under Stan Sheppard. This was the 150th winner of the season and also saw Stan lose his 5lb claim. The horse ran mid division in the Fred Winter but this is his second win of the season and he is definitely going the right way.

Contre Tous was next up for the ‘Million in mind’ syndicate and he won snugly under Sean Bowen, despite having to carry 12st 7lb. He is progressive and hopefully he can score again before going to the dispersal sale in Doncaster in May.

GOODBYES

It is getting to that time of year when we have to say goodbye to some old favourites. Silviniaco Conti ended his racing career on Thursday. A magnificent horse who won seven times at the highest level, thankfully he bows out fit and healthy and will enjoy his new life with Charlotte Alexander who gave Denman such a wonderful retirement. Speaking of Denman he has now finished his second life and has returned home to Mr Barber to Ditcheat.

Dodging Bullets is another wonderful servant and it’s sad to see him go. He had that terrific 2014/15 season when he won three Grade 1s but after his struggle with injury he just couldn’t recapture his old sparkle and he has been retired to his lass Lucy Sharp who will give him a loving home.

And another old stager to go is Rocky Creek. A talented but quirky horse who seems to have fallen out of love with racing, he has been retired to Camilla Ortewells and will spend many days in the hunting field.

As we welcome back Denman we also welcome Some Man to the yard. Bought by Highflyer Bloodstock at last week’s Aintree Sale he is a gorgeous Beat Hollow gelding out of an own-sister to Denman. He won his point-to-point for the Monbeg syndicate in Portrush and has settled into Ditcheat well.

For more information on the team please check out Paul’s betfair blog at betfair.com/horse-racing/paul-nicholls/.