Nicholls Slashes Pipe Lead Paul Nicholls made strong headway in his epic battle with Martin Pipe for the trainers´ championship when the title race went north of the border to Perth yesterday. The title pretender came out on top in the afternoon exchanges when he netted £22,828 in prize money to Pipe´s £3,942, though the 14-times champion added another £3,673 at Worcester in the evening. Nicholls started the day £35,473 in arrears, but by close of play he had cut the gap to £20,260. The Ditcheat handler´s My Will got the better of Pipe´s Joaaci by a head in a thrilling finish to the SBJ Nelson Steavenson Novices´ Chase. Nicholls struck again when Almost Broke took the williamhillpoker.com Handicap Chase. Both his winners were superbly ridden by Ruby Walsh. At Worcester, Pipe´s Miss Academy was third in the Betfred Novices´ Hurdle, but he ended with a winner when 16-1 outsider Cantgeton landed the Betfred Maiden Hurdle. That took Pipe to £2,684,636, with Nicholls having picked up £2,664,376. ? PA Sport
