PAUL Nicholls was surprised to regain his title but did so comfortably enough.

Indeed, had Silviniaco Conti held on after taking it up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup the margin would have been a handsome one.

If the horse’s tendency to edge this way and that has been ironed out he is probably the one to beat in March and looked good in the recent Betfair Chase at Haydock.

Nicholls triumphed without the assistance of the great Big Buck’s, who was retired after fading out of contention in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

Strangely, with the world seemingly at his feet, Daryl Jacob did not want to ride Big Buck’s in his warm-up race, feeling he was on a hiding to nothing - routine if he won, the man to blame if he lost.

Nicholls had little sympathy with this and it effectively cost Jacob a first-rate opportunity at Ditcheat as Sam Twiston-Davies readily stepped in.

There are those who feel it is too soon for him but Nicholls makes few mistakes.

Another significant development saw Brendan Powell promoted at Colin Tizzard’s as Joe Tizzard retired, while Jason Maguire is back after a career-threatening (some would say life-threatening) injury. As yet the Donald McCain yard has not picked up convincingly enough to give him a steady stream of winners, though there is always Gordon Elliott, who continues to raid very successfully.

A.P. McCoy routinely recorded his 19th championship success, the target being a 300-winner campaign on the way to his 20th.

It looks unlikely following two or three fairly serious setbacks, though another good run at Jackdaws Castle would keep him in the hunt and also give Jonjo O’Neill the chance of an overdue first title.

He has more chance that Philip Hobbs, though the latter has been in blistering form and reeled off six winners at Cheltenham’s Paddy Power meeting, all ridden by the popular and remarkably durable Richard Johnson.

O’Neill only just missed out in the Paddy Power Gold Cup with Johns Spirit, won by Nicholls’ Caid Du Berlais, and has Gold Cup prospects with Holywell, Shutthefrontdoor and Taquin Du Seuil.

As the sport enters a new calendar year, with the ‘house full’ signs up at Aintree recently and more money available in the big races than ever before, he is quite possibly the man to follow.