TRAINER Paul Nicholls and his retained jockey Harry Cobden celebrated at Hereford races on Wednesday as the pair teamed up to score a double on the card.

The pair struck as expected in the opening two mile three furlong novice hurdle with Le Chiffre D’Or landing the odds of 2/11 favouritism, despite the occasional mistake, with an 11th length win from his five rivals.

The double was completed in the concluding Bumper race as Lallygag, a brother to the classy handicap chaser Lalor, made all the running and drew clear to win by five lengths from the chasing Zucayan.

An expected win for the partnership with Grace A Vous Enki, also sent off an odds-on favourite, in the extended three mile novice hurdle ended in disappointment as the French bred five year old fell at the third last hurdle giving victory to Ballintubber Boy and jockey Sam Twiston-Davies

Twiston-Davies needed only to navigate the recent Stratford winner away from the fall to score by easily by twenty-four lengths from his two rivals.

The win was memorable for Sam Twiston-Davies as he reached sixty winners for the season with 4-6 shot Champagne Noir later on the card.

Ballintubber Boy’s victory was a family affair for the Twiston-Davies family, with Sam’s brother Willy having bought the son of Robin Des Champs and father Nigel as the trainer.

Nigel Twiston-Davies said of his victory: “I don’t think it took much winning but never mind, we won and that’s what’s racing’s all about.

“He’s a chaser in the making, without a doubt, he probably won’t be the best in the world but he’s a very nice horse.”

An expected win for Twiston-Davies aboard odds on favourite Champagne Noir in the extended three mile handicap chase was thwarted by the outsider and former point to pointer, Wick Green the 12/1 outsider who found more in the closing stages to stay on best under Peter Mason and land the spoils by a length and a quarter.