Paul Nicholls eyes more Listed success with Rainyday Woman

Tuesday: Wincanton

Paul Nicholls is targeting bigger things for Rainyday Woman after the Listed bumper winner made it back-to-back wins over hurdles at the champion trainer's local track.

The six-year-old, who was beaten at odds-on on her hurdling debut at Ludlow over two miles, has relished the step up in trip, following up her win at the track earlier this month with a seven-and-a-half-length victory from the Jack Barber-trained Norton Hill in the 2m4f novice hurdle.

Speaking to Racing TV Nicholls said: "We always just struggled to get her jumping right and that first one was the making of her. She jumped well the last day and now she's fantastic.

"I've got half a feeling that a flattish track suits her. At Sandown in very deep ground she didn't quite finish up the hill. There's a Listed mares' race at Taunton this month [December 30] that we won with Posh Trish and a few other mares, and that's what I'm thinking."

Although Barber would have been cursing his luck at bumping into Nicholls' mare, he had Cobden to thank as he steered the trainer's Electric Annie to a first win under rules at the ninth attempt in the 2m4f mares' handicap hurdle to complete a double on the day.

Electric Annie brings up a double for Harry CobdenCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Neil Mulholland's Brief Times unbeaten run was foiled as the Sam Twiston-Davies-ridden favourite chased home the Philip Hobbs-trained Earth Company under Tom O'Brien, who followed up last month's win at Taunton in the 1m7f handicap hurdle.

Twiston-Davies could take compensation that he had already landed the feature limited novice handicap chase on Our Power, who was winning for Sam Thomas for the first time since switching yards from the jockey's father Nigel.

Results, replays and analysis

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