Vicente keeps Nicholls' title hopes alive with repeat success

Paul Nicholls' hopes of retaining his trainers' title received a huge boost as Vicente put up a fine display to win back-to-back Coral Scottish Grand Nationals at Ayr.

Vicente, this year running in the colours of owner Trevor Hemmings, was always travelling well under Sam Twiston-Davies and made eyecatching progress as the field rounded the turn for home.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Cogry had long been up at the business end for Jamie Bargary, who picked up a four-day ban for excessive use of the whip, and was brave in second at 18-1, but 9-1 joint-favourite Vicente, who fell at the first in the Grand National at Aintree, always looked like having enough to get on top and so it proved.

Cogry's stablemate Benbens took third at 50-1, with last year's runner-up Alvarado in fourth for Fergal O'Brien and Brian Hughes at 16-1.

"He was unlucky at Aintree but in a lot of ways the fall at the first was the best thing that happened as it meant he didn't have a hard race and we knew he was fresh," said Nicholls. "Sam gave him a great ride, took his time and went wide. I knew with a circuit to go he had a great chance.

"We love coming to Ayr and this is a great race to win. He was bought for the National, that didn't work out and today is his day. Vicente loves this ground and loves this time of year."

Nicholls still has a mountain to climb if he is to catch rival Nicky Henderson and prevent the crown going to Seven Barrows but the £122,442.50 first prize is a shot in the arm and brings the deficit under £200,000.

Vicente's win in last year's race gave Nicholls the upper hand in holding off the challenge of Willie Mullins but with Henderson having big guns like Altior to fire at Sandown next weekend, the task is a much bigger one, reflected by the fact Henderson remains Paddy Power's 1-10 favourite, with Nicholls a 5-1 chance.

Nicholls is up for the challenge, though, and said: "I've got loads left to run. We've got loads to run at Sandown. It's going to be very, very hard but we'll give it a go, we always do.

"The chase next week is a big pot and we have got two or three to run in that, Southfield Theatre has been laid out for that, Just A Par is going to run, and we have Modus for a hurdle race."

For Hemmings, the win not only provided a double on the day but was an emotional one given Vicente was bought to run at Aintree in place of the ill-fated Many Clouds following his death at Cheltenham earlier in the year.

"I had to replace the lovely Many Clouds. This was the horse I got and he has done me proud," said Hemmings. "We did a private purchase and this has justified it."

Nico de Boinville was unseated from the Henderson-trained Sugar Baron and received lengthy treatment on the course but was reported to be conscious as he was taken to hospital for further checks.

Fellow jockey Derek Fox's bid to follow up his Aintree success failed aboard Seldom Inn, who was pulled up and reported to have bled.

Result and analysis