Nicholls Dominates John Smith's Topham Chase Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is responsible for five of the eight top-weighted horses for the 2007 John Smith's Topham Chase, run over two miles, five and a half furlongs of the Grand National course at Aintree on Friday, April 13. The 84 entries and weights for the #100,000 event are revealed today.The John Smith's Topham Chase is being run as an open handicap for the first time in recent years, and Phil Smith, the senior British Horseracing Board jump handicapper, has used his discretion to frame a special handicap for the race, rather than having to rely solely on the ratings. The race has also changed this year to become an early-closing contest.Nicholls' entries include top weight Nozic (11st 12lb), who has progressed with each outing this season and followed wide-margin victories at Chepstow and Uttoxeter with a fine second under top weight in the VC Casino.com Gold Cup at Newbury on March 3.Thisthatandtother (11st 10lb), last seen running seventh behind stable companion Taranis in the Grade Two Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on March 15, and Le Volfoni (11st 2lb), fourth to Idole First in the Grade Three Racing Post Plate at Prestbury Park the same day, are other entries for the Ditcheat handler. Four times Grade One winner Hi Cloy is among a 20-strong Irish-trained entry. The classy 10-year-old, trained in Co Limerick by Michael Hourigan, captured the Grade One John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree in 2006, and could make his debut over the big fences next month in the John Smith's Topham Chase, for which he has been allotted 11st 5lb.Other Irish entries include the Mouse Morris-trained Fota Island (11st 9lb), who chased home compatriot Hi Cloy in the John Smith's Melling Chase last year, while Willie Mullins, who landed this prize in 2002 with Its Time For A Win, has three entries, including Our Ben (11st 5lb), a good third to star mare Celestial Wave in a Grade Three hurdle at Gowran Park on January 25.Other interesting contenders include the Henry Daly-trained Palarshan (10st 7lb), who made an excellent return after two years on the sidelines when runner-up to Idole First in the Racing Post Plate at Cheltenham. McKelvey (10st 5lb) returned to winning ways over hurdles at Bangor on March 24, and is one of four entries for Peter Bowen, and Tysou (10st 9lb), trained by last year's winning handler Nicky Henderson, was a never-nearer eighth to Andreas in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase at Cheltenham on March 16.John Spearing's Hakim (9st 9lb) chased home Liberthine in the John Smith's Topham Chase last year, having captured the totepool Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree in 2005.Charles Barnett, Managing Director at Aintree Racecourse, said: 'We're delighted that the conditions changes we have made to the John Smith's Topham Chase have worked so well in year one.'
