DAVID NICHOLSON demonstrated that he will not relinquish the jump trainers' championship in Britain without a battle when saddling an Ascot double yesterday that maintained his prolific start to 1996. He took his score this year to 10 and 36 for the season with fine victories from Certainly Strong and Percy Smollett - both ridden by Adrian Maguire - and narrowly missed a treble when Jathib lost out to Treasure Again in the last race.
Champion trainer for the last two years, Nicholson is more than £100,000 and 61 wins adrift of pacesetter Martin Pipe. But a return to the big race spotlight surely awaits the stable, which has Storm Alert and Martin's Lamp in today's Victor Chandler Chase, on all recent evidence.
Certainly Strong, the mare owned by top show jumper Nick Skelton, showed Arkle Trophy credentials as she romped to victory in the PML Lightning Novices' Chase. Despite jumping to the left she ran out a clearcut winner as she beat Super Coin by 11 lengths with the favourite Inchcailloch only fourth.
The last mare to carry off Cheltenham's two mile novice chase crown was Anaglog's Daughter in 1980 and Nicholson said: "Sheds no Anaglog's Daughter but she's not bad. She's a lovely mare who is a lot stronger now. She settles in front, she never did in behind, and I'm delighted with her."
Maguire sprained his wrist in a fall on Thursday but proved his fitness first to the racecourse doctor and then to the public as he completed his double aboard Percy Smollett.
Producing the eight year old on the inside of Richard Dunwoody on Unguided Missile, Maguire drove his mount clear of his rival to secure an eight lengths victory in the Hairy Mary Handicap.
Percy Smollett is owned by Richard Murray and bred by his wife Jane, who died two weeks ago of cancer.
"We've been awaiting for the ground for him," Nicholson added. "He needs cut and three miles and must go right handed. The Agfa Diamond Chase at Sandown could be his next target."
Peter Easterby, who retires at the end of the month, remains one short of his 1,000th win over bumps after Chopwell Curtains was beaten a neck by Storm North in the Silver Doctor Open Novices' Hurdle.
. Jimmy FitzGerald's disappointing season continued on a downward spiral when Amigos, who carries the colours of commentator Peter O'Sullivan, broke down at Musselburgh yesterday, with a triumphant chasing debut looking a formality.
Amigos led from the second fence in the Hopeswater Novices' Chase under Mark Dwyer and the combination held a commanding 10 length advantage as they approached the third last jump. But, as Dwyer confirmed later, the 11 to 10 favourite damaged his off foreleg as he landed over that obstacle, and he immediately pulled the eight year old up.
A grim faced Dwyer said on his return to the weighing room: "I think he's done a tendon - it happened as we landed over the fence.
Prevailing firm ground in the first half of the season had restricted FitzGerald to a trickle of runners compared with what he would normally saddle, and he has managed only four winners from 33 runners so far this term.
Following the exit of Amigos, Chris Thornton's Five To Seven was let in for a most fortunate success. Five To Seven was left in command but even then the Tony Dobbin ridden seven year old needed another slice of luck before recording an unlikely 15 length verdict over Know No No.
