Paul Nicholls or Nicky Henderson - who does the money say will be champion?

It's tight at the top and there could be a turn-up. Not many expected the standings to be quite as they are at present – will the positions be reversed by the end of the season?

Whether you follow Liverpool or Paul Nicholls, hopes of regaining the championship are starting to grow as the title race approaches "squeaky bum time", in the words of one of Nicholls' owners who knows a bit about finishing on top of the table.

It's only three years since the master of Ditcheat won the last of his ten trainers' crowns, rather than the 29 years they have been waiting at Anfield, but his current lead is exciting interest.

He was £130,267 clear of Nicky Henderson at the top of the prize-money table after racing on Saturday, which compares with a £61,773 deficit at the same stage of last season. And total earnings of £1,839,881 is his highest tally at this point of the campaign since 2009.