Nicholls notches quick century
“This is certainly the fastest I‘ve reached 100 and the exciting thing is that we still have lots of fresh horses and bumper horses who are still to have the wraps taken off them,” said Nicholls .
“We have high hopes that we can win plenty of big races before the end of the season.”
Armaturk’s win in the KJ Pike & Sons Racing in Wessex Chase was more notable for the antics of odds-on favourite Upgrade, who was a flop in his bid to land the race for the second successive year.
Going out for the final circuit, Upgrade caught sight of the horseboxes and decided he had done enough for the day, grinding to a virtual halt and forfeiting his clear lead.
Only the persistent persuasion of champion jockey Tony McCoy kept Upgrade going as he scrambled over the first fence in the back straight.
But the damage was done because although he had caught Armaturk and was challenging for the lead, the exertions appeared to have taken their toll as he crumpled on landing at the second-last fence and crashed out of the race.
Armaturk (11-4) and Timmy Murphy were left to coast home by 15 lengths from Vincent Van Gogh.
“He‘s just starting to come to himself again,” said Nicholls. “He wants this sort of trip and will get three miles next season.
“The race I‘d really like him to run in is the Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan in April.
“The twists and turns would really suit him and he’d love having just 10st on his back. Joe Tizzard would ride him.”
The century and a double on the day had been initiated when Blue Ride upset the favourite in the opening EBF Crandon Park Stud Mares’ Only Hurdle Qualifier.
Given a confident ride by Paddy Brennan to beat Madam Flora by 10 lengths, the six-year-old will now head straight for the £50,000 final of the race at Newbury on March 22.
“There’s not much point running her anywhere else as it‘s such a good prize and I hope she would have a good chance,” Nicholls said.
Tony McCoy gained compensation for his fruitless efforts on Upgrade as Our Vic made all to win the Wincanton Annual Members Handicap Hurdle.
