Even by the standards of a 13-times champion, Paul Nicholls’s horses are in exceptional form at present and Hermes Allen, a £350,000 purchase to run in Sir Alex Ferguson’s colours after winning an Irish point-to-point, extended the trainer’s record this November to 17 wins from 32 runners with an impressive front-running success in the Grade Two Ballymore Novice Hurdle here on Friday.
Hubrisko, a rare runner for Willie Mullins at Cheltenham’s November meeting, was sent off favourite for the card’s feature event, but while he travelled well enough until the turn for home, the five-year-old could not respond as Hermes Allen skipped further clear in the straight, eventually finishing nine lengths clear of his field.
