'It’s amazing' - 17-year-old Olive Nicholls rides first winner under rules to complete treble for father Paul

Magic Saint comfortably helped Olive Nicholls to a first win under rules and sealed an excellent day for the young jockey’s father Paul.

Nicholls was having her seventh ride under rules in the 2m4f hunter chase and coasted to a 13-length victory on Magic Saint, who scored for the first time since landing a handicap off a mark of 152 at Cheltenham’s Paddy Power Gold Cup meeting in November 2020.

Magic Saint’s success brought up a treble for the champion trainer after Outlaw Peter and Toothless had justified odds-on favouritism before his 17-year-old daughter’s breakthrough win.

“I got the usual, lots of instructions, but always to have fun and I definitely did on Magic Saint,” Olive Nicholls said, speaking to Racing TV. “It’s amazing, especially as I had my first ride here under rules and it’s a local track to home. It’s great to be back and to have my first winner."

The day could have been even better for Nicholls had the hat-trick-seeking Cap Du Mathan not been denied by Midnight Midge in the feature 2m4f handicap chase.

Result reversed

Mitchell Hunt’s long wait for a first winner over jumps came to an end in the stewards’ room after the first past the post in the 2m5½f handicap hurdle was demoted to second. 

Just Go For It finished a nose behind the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Noble Savage, who had jinked left and bumped into Hunt’s ten-year-old mare approaching the final hurdle, with the interference deemed costly enough for the stewards to revise the placings.

Just Go For It (pink): a first jumps winner for trainer Mitchell HuntCredit: Alan Crowhurst

It ended a 651-day wait since Hunt’s sole winner on the Flat, which came a month after saddling his first runner when Raajihah obliged at Yarmouth in May 2021.

Hat-trick hero

Ivetwiggedit followed up wins at Doncaster and Newcastle to complete a hat-trick in the 1m7f mares' handicap hurdle for Cameron Iles and Tom Lacey.

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