A FRONT page headline last Sunday said “Has Nicholls found another Zarkandar?” referring to the victory of the trainer’s Zubayr in the previous day’s Adonis Hurdle at Kempton.

Given that both former French horses won the same Grade 2 on their hurdling debuts, and that Zarkandar followed up in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival 20 days later in 2011, it seemed a valid question to ask.