Nicholls Sandown challenge at risk from Mulholland again

Neil Mulholland, who denied Paul Nicholls a back-to-back victory in last year's Bet365 Gold Cup, could be the chief obstacle to the title-chasing trainer's 2017 ambitions after the field cut up significantly on Monday to leave him with three of the market principals.

Not only was The Young Master, short-head winner from Just A Par 12 months ago, 6-1 favourite with the sponsor, but stablemates Doing Fine and The Druids Nephew were no bigger than 8-1 after just 17 horses were left in at the five-day stage for the last big race of the jumps season.

The £150,000 showpiece, for which the safety limit is 20 runners, was guaranteed its smallest field since at least 2009, when 14 took part, after 61 horses dropped out of a race that initially attracted 78 entries. Last month only 13 contested Sandown's feature handicap hurdle the Imperial Cup.

Bet365 spokesman Pat Cooney said: "It was a surprise to find there were only 17 left in but we're happy to be the sponsor and hope it's just a blip. It still looks competitive so we'd expect to see it high on our list of top turnover races."

Sandown is on target to record its driest month in 20 years and racing director and clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said the lack of rain was likely a factor in the five-day entry number.

Sandown: is on target to record its driest month in 20 yearsCredit: Edward Whitaker

"April having been such a dry month everywhere, I'm sure there are a lot of horses who've finished their campaign sooner than had there been wetter, better ground," he said.

"It's not unprecedented. I can remember Harwell Lad's year in 1997 when it was bone dry and nine ran. We want it to fill but I don't think there's any need to sound alarm bells."

Mulholland saddled the first and fifth [The Druids Nephew] in the race a year ago and Nicholls, for whom a win is vital to his slim chance of retaining his trainers' title, provided the second and fourth [Southfield Theatre].

Southfield Theatre: finished fourth in the race last year and has been primed for the race againCredit: Edward Whitaker

Mulholland said: "I think I've got the first three favourites so I hope one of them can win.

"The Young Master's in grand form, he seems to be suited by the race and ran well at Cheltenham before Aintree.

"The Druids Nephew ran a very good race to finish fifth last year; two horses fell in front of him and he was beaten only about seven lengths.

"Doing Fine was good at Cheltenham last week and was second in the London National so has form at the course."

Nicholls confirmed three horses for the race, Southfield Theatre (Sam Twiston-Davies), Just A Par (Harry Cobden) and Present Man. Title leader Nicky Henderson has two, Sugar Baron and Vyta Du Roc.

The going at Sandown on Monday was good, good to firm in places, with watering into its fifth week.

"We've been watering the jumps track virtually daily since March 27," Cooper said. "For April Sandown has recorded 1.5mm of rain. I've kept records for 20 years and the driest month was April 2007, which produced about 4mm.

"There's a chance of light showers, particularly Wednesday, but nothing particularly heavy."

Bet365 Gold Cup

YearEntries Five-day confirmationsRunners

20177817??

2016945320

2015974020

2014843819

2013994019