Strong Nicholls team at Exeter today Pat Doyle saw the latest potential top-notcher to graduate from his Holycross-nursery, Soverign score at Cork on Sunday, and no doubt he'll take an interest in the action at Exeter today when an intriguing seven race card takes place at Haldon Hill. Oamaru Stone, will contest the opening amateur riders' novices' hurdle with Ryan Mahon donning the famous Stewart Family colours on the six-year-old Presenting gelding. Doyle trained this fellow to win a point-to-point at Templemore in November 2008, when he scored like a 4/5 shot should under Kevin Power. Described as a real good horse after that success, a bumper was mentioned as the plan. He did contest a National Hunt flat race on his first outing for current connections when finishing a good fourth at Fontwell. Viewed by Paul Nicholls as a long distance novice hurdler for this term and a chaser in the making, a big run is surely on the cards in this contest over just shy of three miles. An hour later in the Zoya Vaux Birthday Best Mate Beginners' Chase, the same famous silks will be sported, this time by Ruby Walsh, on the Paul Nicholls runner, Tataniano. This French-bred took advantage of Smooth Classic's (Costello's at the time and now with Carl Llewellyn) sloppy last fence jump to win for Doyle and his wife Mary at Belharbour in February 2008. Doyle described Tataniano as a very nice horse in the aftermath of that success and a bumper was the plan at that stage for the Gerry Mangan-ridden winner, who reportedly wasn't fully wound-up then. A son of Sassanian, the five-year-old has won three from five since going across to Manor Farm Stables. Despite scoring 'between the flags (2m 4f),' racing over minimum trips is on the cards for Tataniano at the moment, and his handler views the bay as a horse to follow. It will be disappointing if he can't make a winning start over fences in this five-runner event. Doyle's son Jack rides the ex-Tommy Stack-trained Superius for his boss, Emma Lavelle, in two mile one furlong novices' hurdle at 2.40. This High Chaparral gelding must overcome an absence of a year and the most interesting one here could again be the Paul Nicholls/Ruby Walsh runner, Rebel Du Maquis. A Highflyer Bloodstock purchase from France to run in the New Little Bric colours of Kathy and Roy Stuart, he was runner-up three times, twice over hurdles and latterly in an Auteuil chase. All reports are good of the Brier Creek gelding and he is sure to prove popular with punters. Emma Lavelle was quite bullish about Alaghiraar in a recent stable tour and Doyle has the mount on this son of Act One in the 3.40. His position in the market for this big field contest should reveal plenty.
