Paul Nolan advertises stable form with 49-1 double

Paul Nolan has several chances at the Cheltenham Festival in just over a week's time and showed his team to be in excellent form by saddling a 49-1 double.

The trainer is readying HMS Seahorse and Sandor Clegane for festival glory, among a handful of others, and he won the opening mares' maiden hurdle when Feet Of A Dancer struck under Sean O'Keeffe.

"She ran well the last day and has improved mentally," he said, quoted by Irishracing.com. "She jumped well today and it was a case of avoiding the loose horse. I don't know how strong a race it was, but she has won anyway and is a young filly.

"We'll see what mark she gets and something like the Lartigue at Listowel could be a race for her later in the year. She is owned by Phil Byrne, who is a very good owner in the yard, and hopefully she'll keep going forward."

Nolan completed the double when the Sean Flanagan-ridden Mercury Lane got the better of Where It All Began in the 3m1½f novice chase.

Donnelly prospect

Joe and Marie Donnelly already own one of the most exciting horses in training in Shishkin and they appear to have unearthed another top prospect.

The Willie Mullins-trained chestnut Dancing City showed a good attitude to fend off Littlefoot by half a length in the bumper and justify 4-7 favouritism.

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