Paul Nicholls was another trainer to land an Irish bred double at Cheltenham at Saturday with two very promising young horses. Join Together (IRE) was very impressive in beating Mossley (IRE) and Champion Court (IRE) by twelve lengths in the Novice Chase. Both the winner and runner up are by Old Vic and as with many of Nicholls young Irish bred horses he began his racing education point to pointing with Liam Burke in Cork. Join Together looks very progressive and his trainer commented; “I was thinking about the four-miler for him earlier in the season but we might have to review that now as on that form he must be in the RSA mix. He is learning and getting better all the time.” Bred by JD Flood, Join Together is owned in partnership by Paul Barber and Ian Fogg.

Nicholls’ Irish bred double was completed by Deireadh Re (IRE), another son of Old Vic who also began his career ‘pointing’ in Cork with Liam Burke. He was admittedly a fortunate winner of the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle as he was gifted the race following the last flight fall of the Irish trained Sea Of Thunder (also by Old Vic). Despite his good fortune, Deireadh Re remains a lovely future chasing prospect and he made it a great day for owner Ian Fogg who had his first taste of Irish bloodstock sales when he made the trip to Tattersalls Ireland’s Derby Sale earlier this year.