Champion steeled for another tough struggle to retain crown
It has been famously proved that you can win sporting titles with kids, but Paul Nicholls is expecting "another tough struggle" in his bid to repel the might of Willie Mullins as he pins his hopes on the potential superstars of tomorrow.
Younger horses account for two-thirds of a string that bet365 rate a best-priced 4-5 to secure Nicholls another championship, though the man himself would not be surprised if he is also challenged by his former assistant Dan Skelton despite his 66-1 price tag.
Nicholls bagged his tenth title in 11 years after a titanic struggle with Mullins over the closing weeks of last season, a seesaw tussle which he described as "good for the sport but not so good for my nerves".
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