Paul Nicholls is not concerned about the Crabbies Grand National trip for Silviniaco Conti at Aintree on Saturday. The 10-year-old is 10-1 second-favourite with Sky Bet for the race over the extended four-mile-two-furlong course in Liverpool, fully a mile further than the Dom Alco gelding has ever raced.However, the seven-time Grade One winner certainly has the class and hes well-handicapped too, officially 6lb well-in following his latest top-level win at Ascot that was achieved after the National weights were released. With the ground set to be perfectly acceptable for him whatever the weather does over the next five days, the major question mark hanging over him is the trip - but his trainer is confident hell stay.From the day I had him in the young days hes always been a stayer, Nicholls told At The Races.Hes by Dom Alco, like Neptune Collonges and theyre all stayers.Throughout his career in the Betfred Bowls, the King Georges weve always wanted to make plenty of use of him and make every post a winning post as staminas his forte, always has been.With the distance not a concern to Nicholls, what about the fences? Silviniaco Conti has never run over the Aintree spruce, but his handler has tried to prepare him for the experience the best he can.Nicholls continued: We put some spruce on our fences here and he jumped them with Unioniste the other morning when Noel [Fehily] was very happy with him.You need an awful lot of luck in the National but of course were excited by his chance.Silviniaco Conti isnt Nicholls only chance in this years National, with Unioniste, Just A Par, Wonderful Charm and Rocky Creek also set to run from the Ditcheat yard.Unioniste appears to be heading that list for owner John Hales, who won the race in 2012 with Neptune Collonges, another grey son of Dom Alco also trained by Nicholls.Last year Unioniste fell in the National, but hes come down the handicap since and ran well behind Many Clouds at Kelso last time.Nicholls said: Last year he probably wasnt quite right, he lost his confidence jumping but hes got that back and he ran very well at Kelso behind Many Clouds where he stayed on.He is in the mould of Neptune Collonges and if he is anywhere near them jumping the third last hell gallop all the way to the line, hes got a chance.As for the rest of his team, Nicholls was upbeat about the chances of Just A Par, but less so Rocky Creek who has been well beaten on his last three starts.He ran his best race first time up behind Don Cossack but he has been disappointing since, said Nicholls of Rocky Creek.Id be more sweet on the chances of Just A Par and even Wonderful Charm.I havent run Just A Par all winter because of the ground and that last run at Exeter was just what he needed.Last year before he won the bet365 Gold Cup he had the same prep at Chepstow three weeks beforehand and hes in good shape.Hes got the right profile and he stays. If he can get into a good rhythm and jump hell give Sean [Bowen] a great ride.Paul Nicholls is 9/2 to train the Grand National winner with Sky Bet. Click here for all of Sky Bets Grand National specials. Also See: Live results service Full racecards £10 free bet Get Sky Sports Cheap Nike Running Shoes . -- Ryan Gropp scored in overtime as the Seattle Thunderbirds shut out the Spokane Chiefs 1-0 in Western Hockey League play Tuesday. Running Shoes Clearance Online . Yup, he definitely needed this one. Craig homered twice and had three RBIs Wednesday night to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Craig went 4 for 5 and Yadier Molina added three hits for the Cardinals, who salvaged the final game of a three-game set in hopes of staying within shouting distance of front-running Milwaukee in the NL Central. http://www.cheapnikerunningshoes.com/. They started shooting the puck. Joe Pavelski had a hat trick to move into a tie for second in the NHL in goals and the Sharks beat Philadelphia 7-3 Thursday night in the first game for both teams following the Olympic break. Wholesale Nike Running Shoes . Saltalamacchia drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, Henderson Alvarez won for the first time in three starts and the Miami Marlins beat the Braves 3-2 on Thursday night. Nike Running Shoes For Sale Cheap . Nowitzki scored 28 points, Harris had a season-high 14 for the second straight game and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Detroit Pistons 116-106 Sunday night. TAMPA, Fla. -- Joe Girardi found out about Derek Jeters retirement announcement the same way almost everyone else did: when the New York Yankees captain posted a letter to the world on his Facebook page this week. Girardi left snowy New York on Friday and arrived at spring training for his seventh year as Yankees manager, and he spent the first eight minutes of his 20-minute opening news conference discussing Jeters decision to retire after this season. "I think we were probably all a little bit taken aback by it," Girardi said. "Youre never sure how someones going to do it, but I had no inkling that thats what he was thinking." After missing the playoffs for just the second time in 19 years, the Yankees were back in business when pitchers and catchers reported ahead of Saturdays opening workout. Alex Rodriguezs locker was empty following his season-long suspension. Masahiro Tanaka inherited Mariano Riveras locker and Shawn Kelley got Andy Pettittes stall. Scott Sizemore, attending camp on a minor league contract, was assigned Robinson Canos jersey No. 24. Position players report next Wednesday, when Jeter holds a news conference at Steinbrenner Field to explain his decision. Girardi has exchanged texts with the 39-year-old shortstop but has not spoken with him. "This is going to be a guy thats hard to replace in your clubhouse and on your club," he said. "Its the nature of the business where people age and they move on and they go and do different things in their life, and in our life its a little bit quicker than some of the other working people of this world." Jeter was limited to 17 games last year after fracturing his left ankle in the 2012 playoffs and breaking it again last spring during his rehabilitation. Girardi said Jeter always told him "I feel great," but that he could sense frustration. After working out Friday with Brian Roberts at the Yankees minor league complex, Jeter demurred discussing his decision. "It makes no sense to do it here and then do it again over there, so Ill do it all over there one time," he said. And so now Jeter will go on a valedictory tour, much like Mariano Rivera did last year. JJeter is not the type to call attention to himself, making his public announcement before spring training all the more surprising.dddddddddddd "It could have been just watching how Mo did it, and how much fun everyone seemed to have with it with Mo," Girardi said. "He might have said, you know, its a pretty good way to go out." Jeter has won five World Series titles with the Yankees but none since 2009, and his final lap of the major leagues figures to set the theme as New York tries for title No. 28. His teammates looked forward to speaking with him after he reports. "Not really surprised, saddened I guess that hes not going to be around," ace pitcher CC Sabathia said. "You want a guy like that to play forever." Having witnessed Chipper Jones final season with the Atlanta Braves in 2012, new Yankees catcher Brian McCann is looking forward to Jeters last go-round. "Hes been the face of baseball since he broke in," McCann said. "I went through it with one Hall of Famer. Im going to go through it with another." David Robertson, inheriting the closers role from Rivera, hadnt thought Jeter would make his plans known before the seasons end. "But Im really glad he did," he said. "I think its going to give the fans a chance to come out this year and see him in his final season in pinstripes." Robertsons new job is one of many changes for the Yankees, who spent $471 million on free agents, including a $20 million payment to Tanakas old club in Japan. McCann and outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran are among the many newcomers, and first baseman Mark Teixeira is returning from a wrist injury that sidelined him most of last season. Cano -- the Yankees top hitter -- left for a $240 million, 10-year deal with Seattle. Girardi predicted for the April 1 opener at Houston that Yankees players at every position other than pitcher will be different from opening day last year. The only time thats happened in franchise history was 1947, according to STATS. 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