Pipe edges towards another title
Martin Pipe extended his lead over Paul Nicholls in an enthralling penultimate afternoon to the jump trainers’ championship after the two suffered mixed fortunes today.
Following the afternoon’s two jumps meetings, Pipe held a handy lead of £22,327 after starting the day £18,907 ahead. He has a grand total of £2,728,893, with Nicholls on £2,706,566.
Pipe, seeking his 15th title, amassed £23,370 this afternoon compared to Nicholls’ £19,950, but it could have been so different.
The Nicholls-trained Andreas looked like totting up in the Genesis Oil And Gas Novices’ Chase at Perth only to fall at the final fence. That left the race and the £8,398 winner’s purse to the Pipe-trained 10-1 shot Sardagna in the hands of Tom Malone.
Commercial Flyer had earlier earned £7,117.50 for the champion trainer by following up Thursday’s success in the Enjoy New totesport Betting Shop Today Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
That double completely wiped out the inroads Nicholls had made through the victory of Chef Tartare in the totesport.com Novices’ Handicap Chase, which was worth £8,385.
Although the two trainers were out of luck at Sandown’s mixed card, both did pick up useful place money.
And it is at the Esher track where the big prize money is on offer on what promises to be a fascinating finale tomorrow.
Both protagonists are giving it their best shot with plenty of runners at the last two fixtures at Sandown and Market Rasen.
Nicholls summed up the situation with the words: “It’s all coming down to what happens tomorrow.”
Pipe saddles 22 runners in the three jumps races at Sandown compared to Nicholls’ eight, with no less than 10 in the opening Betfred ‘The Bonus King’ Handicap Hurdle.
They include Commercial Flyer, who would be chasing an incredible three-day hat-trick.
The big two yards are wholly responsible for the nine-runner Betfred Celebration Chase, worth £58,000 to the winner, with prize money down to the sixth.
Pipe’s five are headed by Well Chief, with Azertyuiop the Nicholls number as these two star two-mile chasers clash for the fourth time this season.
It could be that the £87,000-to-the-winner Betfred Gold Cup, with money also down to sixth place, could decide which part of the West Country the trainers’ crown goes to.
Pipe and owner David Johnson are responsible for seven of the 19 runners in the prestigious handicap chase.
Johnson said: “Martin’s got there before without my help but I’ll be doing my best to get him another title.”
The meeting at Market Rasen could also play a part, with Nicholls having seven runners in five races and Pipe having a total of five representatives in three races.
Joe Tizzard, who partnered Chef Tartare to victory for Nicholls at Perth today and is aboard two of the stable’s runners at Market Rasen, told At The Races: “It’s good for racing and it is going to be a great battle right down to the wire.
“Everyone in the yard is hopeful. We are pulling all the stops out and trying our best and Martin Pipe is doing exactly the same.
“Paul is not going to get a better chance than he has got now, and it will come down to one of the two big races at Sandown tomorrow.”
