Nico de Boinville profits from Harry Cobden injury to score double on first rides for Paul Nicholls

Nico de Boinville registered a double with his first two rides for Paul Nicholls

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Nico de Boinville teamed up with Paul Nicholls to land a double from his first two rides for the 14-time champion trainer after stable jockey Harry Cobden was stood down following an unseat in the opening race.

De Boinville, who was originally booked for one ride on the Nicky Henderson-trained Propelled, made a winning start for Nicholls when Matterhorn completed a four-timer in the feature 2m1f handicap chase.

Cobden had partnered Matterhorn to each of his three previous chase wins, but he was forced to miss his remaining mounts on the card after coming off stablemate Kick Up A Storm in the opening 2m6f handicap hurdle.

Nicholls called on the services of De Boinville for the first time in his career and told Racing TV Cobden "thought he'd be two or three weeks off" after appearing to hurt some ligaments in his knee.

De Boinville was given an easy ride as the six-year-old, who registered success at Ludlow, Worcester and at this track previously, scored by eight lengths over course and distance again.

Nicholls identified a £25,000 2m handicap chase at Newton Abbot on August 22 as Matterhorn’s next possible assignment.

He said: "He’s going the right way very rapidly and we’ve got 12 months with him as a novice as well. His jumping is fantastic and that’ll put him in good stead in the handicaps or novice chases.

"What we might do, subject to a discussion with Johnny [de la Hey, owner], is go for a £25,000 chase in August. We might then give him a break and try to pick up a nice early October novice chase if the ground is fast."

De Boinville took full advantage of his opportunity with Nicholls when Soir De Gala struck in the 2m3½f novice handicap chase.

The jockey was not the only stand-in for Cobden as Nicholls also teamed up with Harry Skelton when Brave Knight formed the middle leg of a treble for the yard in the 2m½f novice hurdle.

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