Dildar adds yet another string to Nicholls’ bow

Paul Nicholls added another juvenile hurdler to his ever-expanding spring collection as not-so-dark horse Dildar made a winning debut under Ruby Walsh at Taunton.

The fact Dildar was just 10-1 with some bookmakers for the JCB Triumph Hurdle would be partly based on his trainer’s past performance in the Cheltenham race as well as on the gelding’s flashy Flat form in France, but his reputation was on the line in the Bravo Company 40 Commando Royal Marines Novices’ Hurdle.

Those odds remained essentially unchanged after he defeated Sew On Target by a length and a quarter, even if he completed the mission decisively enough in the end. Fourth when a pacemaker in Pour Moi’s Derby trial last May, Dildar’s main task will be to brush up his jumping as he was a shade hesitant at most of the flights.

Walsh said of the 8-15 favourite: “He was a bit novicey running off the Flat but he’ll improve a lot jumping-wise. He was careful but jumped the third-last when I asked him and picked up well.”

Nicholls added: “It’s tacky ground out there and we can get his jumping right at home on better ground. He’ll need another run so will go straight to the Adonis at Kempton now.”

Meanwhile, Musselburgh have announced that they are putting up record prize money for its feature jumps meeting of the season on Sunday - a touch under £90,000 – for the John Smith’s Scottish Cheltenham Trials.

Bill Farnsworth, general manager Musselburgh, said: “This is the richest jumps fixture yet staged at Musselburgh and that is reflected in the quality of entries and the geographic spread of the stables heading our way.”