Promising duo give Nicholls double
It was a case of “mission accomplished” at Folkestone today as two of Paul Nicholls’ most promising performers landed convincing victories.
Nicholls, who was taking his strike rate at the Kent course to nine winners from just 20 runners in the past five years, was understandably pleased with the performances of both Maybe The Business and Le Sauvignon.
And with both being returned as short-priced favourites, punters were celebrating too despite the wintry weather.
Maybe The Business had flopped on his previous outing when a poor second at Wetherby, having shaped with considerable promise until falling at Chepstow first time out this season.
But the 11-8 chance easily accounted for Tristram Ludlow by 15 lengths in the Shell Club Corringham Maiden Hurdle (Division 1).
Held up last of the 11 runners in the early stages, Ruby Walsh brought the winner through to lead before the last and the pair quickly pulled clear.
“He hasn’t been the most natural jumper in the world, but he is getting better and this is the first time I have had him right this season,” said Nicholls.
“With hindsight I probably shouldn’t have run him at Wetherby as it came a bit quickly for him and two miles was too sharp anyway.
“I think we will go for the Challow Hurdle now or one of those other good hurdle races and then, hopefully, it will be Cheltenham after that.”
The same colours of owner David Jackson were carried to success again by Le Sauvignon, who made a winning bow over fences in the Stone Street Novices’ Chase.
The dual French Champion hurdler has competed in his native land with great success, winning almost half a million pounds in prize money.
But with his owner deciding that he wanted to campaign his eight-year-old over fences on this side of the English Channel, Le Sauvignon arrived at Nicholls’ West Country yard in October.
Despite some concerns over his fitness, the 4-11 favourite always travelled better than his three rivals and jumped tidily and effectively throughout on his way to beating Magic of Sydney by five lengths.
“He has only been cantering for about five weeks and been schooled over three fences so I didn’t want to go for a big one before we had got a run into him,” said Nicholls.
“That was just the job, really. He jumped well and he quickened.
“He is a class horse but he has come back with a little nick to his off hind, something he also did when we schooled him.
“That’s why you don’t want to be schooling them too much at this time of year and in boggy ground anyway.
“He could go for the Feltham at Kempton now but it’s not the be all and end all. If it wasn’t soft enough we could wait for the Dipper Chase at Newcastle on January 4.
“If we can keep him right he could be a very good chaser. The SunAlliance will be his big target.”
Bookmakers Coral reacted to the win by cutting the price of Le Sauvignon from 25-1 to 12-1 for next March’s Royal & SunAlliance Chase.
It would have been an unusual day had champion jockey Tony McCoy not got in on the winning act.
And McCoy was on the mark when Skinsey Finnegan – a rare winner over jumps for trainer Chris Dwyer – held the challenge of Renaloo to take the Heddon Novices’ Handicap Chase.
Terry Warner returned to more mundane fare after the weekend’s excitement to see his Do l’Enfant d’Eau with the Stained Glass Design Novice Hurdle.
The Philip Hobbs-trained 3-1 joint favourite held the challenge of Phar From Fair to score by a length and a half.
The owner of ante-post Smurfit Champion Hurdle favourite Rooster Booster reported that the apple of his eye had come out of his Bula Hurdle success on Saturday in fine form.
“He’ll probably have just one run now before the champion if he runs at all,” said Warner.
“He will stay with Philip rather than come back to our place.
“But he will be enjoying himself doing lots of road work and swimming to keep him going between now and March.”
The riding performance of the day came when Timmy Murphy coaxed a fine round of jumping out of Dealer’s Choice to win the Weatherbys Bank Handicap Chase.
The sometimes-recalcitrant gelding enjoyed every minute as he made all of the running to beat Irish Option.
Trainer Mark Pitman reported that stable stars Monsignor and Hitman may both school at Ascot this Saturday.
