Grade 2 hurdles winner Nells Son gets off the mark over fences for Nicky Richards

Nicky Richards is hoping Nells Son can excel over fences this season after the eight-year-old got off the mark in that discipline in the 2m novices' handicap chase.

Nells Son was beaten a neck on his chasing debut at Ayr last October but ended the season finishing eighth in both the Coral Cup and in a similarly valuable handicap at Aintree’s Grand National meeting, having won the Grade 2 Premier Novice Hurdle at Kelso the previous campaign.

Richards said: "He has very decent form and that was a nice first start back. He might work his way into a decent race at some stage. 

"We know where the M6 is if we need to go down there, but we’ll take it as it comes and hopefully we’ll have a good season with him.”

There was a sad postscript to the race with the Lucinda Russell-trained Snake Roll suffering a fatal injury after falling on his chase debut.

Nells Son's jockey Danny McMenamin was denied a double aboard the four-timer-seeking Wasdell Dundalk, who was second to the Charlie Longsdon-trained Guetapan Collonges in the feature 3m½f handicap chase.

In-form team

Making Headway: a fourth winner in a row for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero Credit: JOHN GROSSICK

Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero matched Wednesday’s double at Wetherby as the Toby Wynne-ridden White Rhino made it four wins from his last five starts in the 2m4f conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle before Henry Brooke steered £50,000 purchase Making Headway to a successful rules debut in the first division of the 2m1f novice hurdle.

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