It seems very strange to say that the great Paul Nicholls will not be represented in the Grand National in 2022. He won the race in 2012 with the grey, Neptune Collonges, who'd been good enough to finish third in a Cheltenham Gold Cup behind stablemates Denman and Kauto Star a few years earlier.
He could have been forgiven for thinking his chance of landing the prize had gone when Silver Birch, who had been in his care, won the 2007 renewal for a then-unknown trainer called Gordon Elliott.
Nicholls knows it takes a touch of class to win modern Nationals. The fences are less formidable, the trip shorter and more horses are completing.

"I think they put a bit of water on last night and I know it's good to soft but I'd say from my experiences so far it's decent ground," he told Planet Sport.

"So the slow soft ground horses aren't really going to get what they want today.
"It's a very competitive race this year. It seems to get more difficult to find the winner and certainly to train the winner. I actually fancy Delta Work.
"The Irish and of course Gordon Elliott have got a good record in this race recently and they've got some good ones today."

Delta Work will win the Grand National

Delta Work has that quality to go with stamina. He is a multiple Grade 1 winner, who has an Irish Gold Cup to his name. No wonder he has been towards the head of the market since he famously spoiled stablemate and dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll's retirement party in the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham last month.

"I thought he won nicely at Cheltenham over these different types of fences, he has a touch of class as a Grade 1 winner," said the master of Ditcheat.
"Since ours was taken out I've probably not been as in-depth as I might be with all the runners but I just think Delta Work will be the National winner. If I had a tenner that's where it would be going."
On his Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle winner yesterday, Gelino Bello, the champion trainer added: "He's a lovely horse. He won his maiden hurdle here in the autumn. He's just got stronger and better and really stays strongly.
"He's an exciting horse to go chasing with next year. He's got chaser written all over him, so that's what I'm going to do. He doesn't have to go three miles. I think to start the season, two-and-a-half, maybe two-six. He's got enough speed and jumping ability to go shorter, so we'll see."
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