Patience pays off for Paul Nicholls as sublime Pic D'Orhy gives him first Grade 1 in a year with fine run from the front

Just days after Paul Nicholls vowed to bounce back from a disappointing run of results, the 14 times champion trainer wasted little time delivering on his promise as Pic D'Orhy did what Pic D'Orhy does best and jumped his rivals into submission to claim back-to-back wins in the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase.

Horses at the formative stage of their careers outweigh the established stars who have for so long formed the backbone of Nicholls' formidable training operation in Somerset. He has also been less than enamoured with the form of his runners since Christmas, but he has always said the tide would turn and Pic D'Orhy started the reversal with an emphatic performance under Harry Cobden.

"I love what we do every day and I love this game," declared Nicholls. "I love the challenge and over the past four or five weeks it's been challenging, but days like this and horses like this make it all worthwhile. 

"We've had a few problems with some of the horses not being quite right at home and you have little doubts, but in the paddock I thought Threeunderthrufive in the last race and Pic D'Orhy looked as good as I've seen them look all season and they both ran like it."

Pic D'Orhy, beaten only once in his last six visits to Ascot, certainly ran like a horse at full health and was already asking questions of his rivals as he passed the winning post for the first time with a comfortable lead. Just like last year, Cobden started to turn the screw down the back and it was merely a procession for the leader over the last two fences in the home straight.  

"I've got to say I enjoyed that and today was always the day with this horse," said Nicholls. "He's a proper horse and his owners Johnny and Sammy de la Hey, who have had a bit of a lean time themselves, deserve that. That's nearly a career best from Pic D'Orhy; he was awesome today."

Another tilt at the Melling Chase at Aintree beckons for the winner, while Nicholls has set his sights on finding more horses of Pic D'Orhy's calibre to take his stable into a new era. 

"Back in the day when I had all those good ones, they're the ones who carry everything forward," he added. "You can't sustain the very top form forever and it is all about having the right horses. Sadly at the moment we haven't got enough of the really good ones, but we've been there before and we'll just be patient, keep doing what we do best and hope we can find some smart horses again."

A big puff of the cheeks after the line from Cobden said plenty and he was clearly delighted to deliver a first Grade 1 since the same race last year for his boss.

"I really enjoyed that," said the winning rider. "I had a good look at the big screen passing the stands on the first circuit and thought all I need to do is stay on! I knew he wouldn't stop galloping.

"This is massive. We've had a slow start, but these horses are coming right now and I think we'll have a good spring."

"I really enjoyed that": Harry Cobden is in cruise control as he and Pic D'Orhy run out ten-length winnersCredit: Getty Images

Things started to unravel after a bad mistake at the fourth fence for L'Homme Presse, who was pulled up three fences later.

"He just made a bad mistake and did well to stay on his feet," said rider Charlie Deutsch. "He lost his confidence and his jumping wasn't getting better. We were losing more and more ground and had too much to make up, so I thought it was silly to carry on. 

"The vet is going to check him but he seems fine. I think it was just the mistake. He jumped the first very well but the mistakes put him out of it. We'll get him to Cheltenham hopefully."     

The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup also looks the plan for Corbetts Cross, sent off the 7-4 favourite but ten lengths behind Pic D'Orhy at the finish. 

Rider Mark Walsh said: "I was going as fast as I wanted the whole way and was never going to catch the leader. Slower ground and a greater test will suit my lad better."

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