Earplugs work a treat on Findthetime as Nicky Richards chaser bounces back on quick return

It does not matter how long you have spent in racing, horses can always make you look foolish. Ask Nicky Richards.

He had high hopes in the novice handicap chase for Nells Son, a Grade 2-winning hurdler who had won comfortably on his first run over fences at Carlisle.

Yet the 4-5 favourite could finish only a modest third behind stablemate Findthetime, who was 7-1 outsider of four having been pulled up on his chasing debut at Sedgefield nine days earlier.

Richards, who has been training for 25 years and previously assisted his late father Gordon, said: "Findthetime didn't behave at all at Sedgefield. He made a right fool of himself, so we thought we'd go again fairly quickly.

"He's got a special sort of earplugs in and they've done something to him, they've put him to sleep a little bit. He's always shown ability, he's won three hurdles."

Richards retains faith in Nells Son and said: "He needs a good break between races to get him fresh. A lot of two-mile horses need to have a bit of bounce in them.

"I wouldn't give up on him, I still think there's a good handicap in him. He'll have a proper break and we'll get him back."

King reigns

Alan King had just two runners on Saturday and secured a 7-1 double with Favour And Fortune and Grandeur D'Ame.

The 2-5 favourite Favour And Fortune made it two out of two over jumps by landing an introductory hurdle in which it took several seconds for the field to set off as nobody wanted to go on.

"He's a nice horse," said jockey Tom Cannon. "It was a bit of a messy race and he was a touch keen and a bit novicey. It probably did him the world of good today as he had to go through softer ground and grind it out on his own up the straight."

Favour And Fortune was one of three winners to carry the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings, along with Richmond Lake (2m hurdle) and East Street (3m conditional jockeys' chase).

Grandeur D'Ame, a 20-length maiden hurdle winner at Fakenham who scored by 17 lengths over fences at Stratford last season, did it again as he took the 2m3½f chase by 25 lengths at 9-2.

"He's better when he's fresh and when he wins he looks very impressive," Cannon said. "I hope they can keep him fresh, there may be another race to be had with him."

Cheltenham hope

Tristan Durrell warmed up for his bid to win the biggest race of his career by landing the novice hurdle on Heltenham for Dan Skelton.

The 5lb claimer is looking forward to the £100,000 Unibet Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham, in which he will ride Knickerbockerglory, on whom he landed a £60,000 race at Ascot a fortnight ago.

"He's a really nice ride," Durrell said. "I won on him two weeks ago. That was my biggest win and it's great to keep the ride.

"I hope he'll go well. He has every chance at the weights and we think he's an improving horse, so we hope he'll run a good race." 

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