SEVEN UP FOR NICHOLLS

CLASSY RUN: McFabulous

IT WAS a Magnificent Seven for Paul Nicholls when the trainer saddled winners across three meetings.

Fittingly, Nicholls’ seventh winner, that completed a 10,419-1 seven-timer, came in the Silviniaco Conti Chase, run in memory of his dual King VI Chase winner, when Master Tommytucker overcame a monumental blunder at the final fence.

“I was thinking ‘you silly, silly boy’,” said his relieved rider Harry Cobden.

“He did bloody well to stand up there.”

Earlier, Cobden came in for a lashing from ITV pundit

Mick Fitzgerald after his victory on the Nichollstrained McFabulous in the Relkeel Hurdle.

“If you wanted to show somebody how not to ride Kempton that’s it,” said Fitzgerald. “I couldn’t believe how wide he was.”

Cobden, unjustly criticised, replied: “I was there for a bit of light but I didn’t anticipate going that wide into the bend wasn’t ideal.”

Nicholls and Cobden were earlier on the mark with Barbados Buck’s.

Bryony Frost was doing the steering on the Nicholls winners at Chepstow with Storm Arising and Pozo Amery.

And Nicholls never leaves Wincanton, his local track, without a winner or two.

This time he made it a double with Flash Collonges, the mount of Harry Skelton, and the Daryl Jacob-ridden Capeland.

Jacob also had a day to remember at the Somerset track, riding four other winners – on Ede’iffs Elton, Messire Des Obeaux, Anightinlambourn and Jackson Hill.