However, since that day at Prestbury Park the wheels have rather off for ’The Tank’ as he was diagnosed with a heart problem which kept him off the track until February, where he was beaten out of sight by Madison du Berlais.

He then defied the odds by putting up a valiant attempt in defence of his Gold Cup crown by beating old by Kauto Star but looked booked for second again when falling badly at Aintree in April.

“He looks the same as he was two years ago,” said Nicholls, whose charge must race from a 13lb-higher mark.

“Clifford (Baker, head lad) thinks he’s the same as he was two years ago. He’s a hard horse to assess as he just does enough at home, but there have been no problems with him this time.

“He looks great, is good in his skin and has done everything right. We are happy with him – but it’s the same with them all, until you actually run them you don’t know.”

Nicholls said this week he had backed What A Friend ante-post and the youngster, owned in partnership by Sir Alex Ferguson, is now second-favourite with some bookmakers.

“What A Friend is a bit quirky and quite often the good horses have that, but I’m quite looking forward to running him in a 20-runner race as in some of those novice chases with three or four runners it didn’t always suit him,” Nicholls went on.

“He’s well, but whether he’s good enough is a different matter.

“He doesn’t take a lot of running, you have to space his races out so he’s nice and fresh. I didn’t want to run him beforehand, I was always going to come here first.

“My Will could run well too, he ran a grand race the other day at Down Royal but his handicap mark makes him hard to win with. He’ll run a sound race whatever.”