News Paul Nicholls and Tommy Silver strike Musselburgh gold

Paul Nicholls and Tommy Silver strike Musselburgh gold

racing

Tommy Silver further strengthened Paul Nicholls' hand in the juvenile hurdling division with a comfortable success in the totetrifecta Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial at Musselburgh.

With stablemates Clan Des Obeaux and Connetable already prominent in the ante-post lists for Cheltenham, Tommy Silver landed short odds with the minimum of fuss for Sam Twiston-Davies.

Second to Fixe Le Kap on his British debut - form which was subsequently franked - Tommy Silver was sent off at 4-6 to go one better.

While Ashoka tracked him throughout, he never looked really capable of making Twiston-Davies pull out his stick as the favourite came home 11 lengths clear, despite looking a bit green at certain stages.

The win came as a welcome tonic for Nicholls, whose Ditcheat yard was left flooded by torrential overnight rain.

"I was really pleased with that. For only his second ever run they were really windy conditions to cope with and that's why he ran wide on the bend," said Twiston-Davies.

"He already looks a chaser and he's got a bright future.

"That will give the lads at home something to cheer, anyway."

Sky Bet cut the winner to 16-1 (from 25s) for the Triumph Hurdle.