Paul Nicholls is already looking forward to next season with Caldwell Potter and Kalif Du Berlais following their Grade 1 heroics at Aintree last week.

The talented seven-year-old, who had come under plenty of criticism through no fault of his own, having joined the Paul Nicholls team for a record National Hunt fee of €740,000, went some way to quashing those critics when following up his Cheltenham Festival success with a gutsy front-running success in the Grade 1 Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices' Chase.

A Grade 1 winner over hurdles for previous trainer Gordon Elliott, Caldwell Potter carried the silks of the late John Hales, who, alongside ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason, Paul Hogarth and Peter Done, stumped up the cash back in February.

In the aftermath of his Aintree success, Paul Nicholls explained the challenges he had with training Caldwell Potter. "I've had more sleepless nights than before Cheltenham, trying to get him right for this," said Nicholls. "I was worried about the ground, but he loved it. He was just tiring up a bit, but jumping wins the game, and he's a brilliant jumper. That was fantastic because it's been hard work.

"Before Windsor, it was hard to train him because he'd had a load of problems. We've done a few different things and worked out how to get his feet right, which are the problem. When his feet are right, he's a brilliant horse."

Nicholls is now looking forward to next season with his galloping grey, who could now be aimed at the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November in an attempt to enhance his Gold Cup claims.

Speaking on Betfair's Ditcheat Diaries, he said: "He has put one foot on the bottom rung of the ladder that goes to the top. That's what we will quietly aim at. But he has a long way to go [before the Cheltenham Gold Cup]... We may start him in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November."

A second Grade 1 went the way of team Nicholls when Kalif Du Berlais, who just like Caldwell Potter, also sported John Hales' famous yellow silks with a red star, produced a totally professional performance to land the Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree on Saturday.

Nicholls now has high aims for the French-bred five-year-old, with the Tingle Creek a potential major Grade 1 target next season.

"He is five years old, and there is huge improvement to come from him," said Nicholls. "He is on the bottom rung of the ladder to climb to the Champion Chase. Next season, we will probably have a crack at the Tingle Creek with him. I love that horse. He is exciting."

While both Caldwell Potter and Kalif Du Berlais now look like being kept off the course until next season, Nicholls' other Aintree winner, Sans Bruit, could be set for another appearance before his campaign is out.

The seven-year-old was the recipient of a fine front-running Harry Cobden ride when coming home four and a half lengths clear of Calico to gain back-to-back wins in the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase.

"Harry was riding at the top of his game," said Paul. "But that is easy to do when horses are jumping as well as Sans Bruit was on Thursday, it is easy to do that.

"The spring ground was perfect for Sans Bruit. We might find a race for him before the end of the season."