Paul Nolan pins DRF hopes on exciting hurdler as he assembles smart spring team

Paul Nolan achieved Grade 1 glory with Latest Exhibition in the 2020 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival and has his sights set on repeating the feat with the exciting Sandor Clegane.

The six-year-old, the general 4-1 third favourite for the festival's opening race, was a smart bumper performer, finishing second to Facile Vega at last year’s Dublin Racing Festival, and relished the step up in trip at Punchestown in November when bolting up by 12 lengths in a maiden hurdle.

Nolan said: “He will go for the two-mile-six-furlong Grade 1 at Leopardstown this weekend. We knew he would come on a good bit from his return at Galway.

“He's jumping from a maiden hurdle straight to a Grade 1 so will have to improve, but we're very pleased with him and I’m hoping he can give a good account of himself.”

These are exciting times for the Nolan yard as the trainer has assembled a formidable team to tackle the spring festivals. The latest addition to the squad is Metamorpheus, who was purchased out of Tim Doyle’s yard after winning a maiden hurdle at Punchestown this month.

He said: “Metamorpheus has arrived with us in recent weeks and is just settling in and doing his regular canters. The form of the Punchestown race he won seems strong.”

Nolan plans to train the son of Morpheus for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham and was notably impressed with how the four-year-old went about his business when winning last time.

He said: “The Boodles is the plan with him. I was really impressed with how he jumped and went to the line at Punchestown. He looks like a horse that has no bother staying and you’d have to be really pleased with how he did it.”

HMS Seahorse, who was not beaten far in fourth at Cheltenham last year in the Boodles, is set to be aimed at the Coral Cup having impressed when winning at Navan this month.

“The Coral Cup is the plan and we'll train him for that," said Nolan. "He's been gelded and that seemed to improve his jumping and make him more clued up. He’s a very small horse, he's only 15.1 hands, but there is plenty of depth to him. He’s a solid little horse and has a good attitude.”

The Wexford-based trainer also provided an update on Joyeux Machin, who was last seen being pulled up in the Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury on New Year’s Eve.

Nolan said: “It was unfortunately a no-show in the Challow. He came home and got his palate fired, so hopefully that will make a difference. He'll come back once the ground gets a bit better, more than likely for Fairyhouse or Punchestown.”

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