Thisthatandtother set for Aintree outing

Paul Nicholls is likely to be represented by Thisthatandtother in the Betfair Bowl at Aintree on Thursday week.

The Ditcheat trainer is also likely to enter Le Roi Miguel for the contest, formerly known as the Martell Cup and run over a three-mile-one-furlong trip.

Both horses ran at Cheltenham, with Thisthatandtother gaining a first success of the season in the Daily Telegraph Festival Trophy over two miles five furlongs, in which Le Roi Miguel was fifth.

Nicholls said: “I think Thisthatandtother will run. If the ground is good, I think he will want three miles at Aintree.

“Le Roi Miguel is more likely to go for the John Smith’s Melling Chase, as I’m not sure he will get three miles and a furlong.”

Nicholls is leaning towards putting his Gold Cup sixth Strong Flow away for the season.

He told At The Races: “He was quite jarred up in his shoulders for a week or so afterwards and I would say it’s unlikely he’ll run again this season.

“We did well to get him to the track, but the ground didn’t come in our favour and we’ll probably leave him now.

“We can give him a nice summer and start from scratch next year with the Hennessy or something in the autumn.”