Destin another for Nicholls on sublime day

HAYDOCK SATURDAY

PAUL Nicholls had also started well at Haydock.

A disappointing turn-out of four for the Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle saw prolific winner Quel Destin (4/6) and Sean Bowen make most of the running and pass the post six lengths ahead of Capone.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Torpillo made too many mistakes and finished last at 11/8.

PASS

“He’ll go for the Triumph Hurdle and, whatever else happens, he’ll be hard to pass,” said Nicholls.

No horse has completed the Victor Ludorum/Triumph Hurdle double in the last 50 years.

MIDNIGHT TOO STRONG

Scottish trainer Sandy Thomson has a way with out-and-out stayers and his Shades Of Midnight ran out a thoroughly deserving winner of the Grade 2 William Hill Rendlesham Hurdle over three miles.

A versatile nine-year-old, Shades Of Midnight had chased home strong Stayers’ Hurdle fancy Paisley Park here in November and had won over fences at Kelso.

Positively ridden by Henry Brooke, he collared Kilcooley at the last and galloped on to beat Petticoat Tails by eight lengths. He was attractively priced at 11/2, with Alan King’s Yanworth very short at 11/8. Not seen in public since his sixth in the Stayers’ last year, he was pulled up after a mistake two out when looking beaten.

BOWEN’S TREBLE

Sean Bowen just missed out on Nicholls’ If You Say Run when pipped by Jester Jet and Tom Scudamore in the olbg.com Mares’ Hurdle.

He completed his treble on Rebecca Curtis’ 6/1 chance Lisnagar Oscar, who easily accounted for a fair field in the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle and will go for the same sponsor’s three-miler at the festival.

Nicholls’ 3,000 wins

PAUL Nicholls’ Saturdayto remember continued at Wincanton where 11/10 favourite Magic Saint and Daryl Jacob took the Betway Handicap Chase.

The icing on the cake arrived via Grand Sancy in the Grade 2 Betway Kingwell Hurdle, who led two out for Harry Skelton and battled on to resist warm favourite Sceau Royal by three-quarters of a length.

Grand Sancy will be back in novice company for the Supreme Novices’ at Cheltenham.

At Taunton on Tuesday, Capitaine landed a handicap hurdle under Harry Cobden becoming the trainer’s 3,000 winner.

These include 10 champion trainer titles

four Cheltenham Gold Cup wins, 10 King George successes and

one Grand National.