France, England and Ireland were the winners in round two of the Guinness Six Nations, which failed to produce the excitement seen on the opening weekend.

Here the PA news agency looks at five things we learned from the weekend’s action.

World Rugby recently released an absorbing documentary titled ‘Whistleblowers’ in the hope it will change the conversation around officials by showing the difficulties they face, both personal and professional, in overseeing one of the most complex sports around. But as criticism descended on Nic Berry and James Doleman following controversial calls at Murrayfield and Twickenham respectively, it is clear the odds are stacked against referees because of the laws. The decision not to award Scotland a last-gap try against France and to allow Wales to run down George Ford’s conversion were legitimate according to the rules of the game, but both felt like the wrong call. Clarification shed light on why the right outcomes had been reached, but by that time the online vilification was already underway.

Rugby’s officialdom was at least able to celebrate one notable victory from round two and that was Hollie Davidson’s slice of history at Twickenham. The 31-year-old Scot became the first female member of an officiating team for a men’s Six Nations match as the glass ceiling for women in the sport continues to be broken. Now rugby’s pre-eminent female referee, Davidson has already overseen a men’s international having taken charge of a clash between Portugal and Italy in 2022. A Test between heavyweight nations must be the next goal for the Scottish Rugby Union’s first full-time official.

Even if rugby’s protocols dictate otherwise, Scotland’s stoppage-time try against France should have stood. Scottish dismay was understandable, but this controversial moment aside they can only look inwards when they begin the inquest into why they are not two from two having led for most of the match against opponents nursing a World Cup hangover. A poor spectacle was there for the taking but yet again a group of players regarded as one of the most talented ever to emerge from the country has fallen short. That first Six Nations title appears as elusive as ever.

England are one of two unbeaten sides left in the Six Nations and, while they deserve credit for equalling their victory total for the last three tournaments before the first fallow week, they know their underwhelming wins against Italy and Wales were too close for comfort. Far tougher tests await against Scotland, Ireland and France over the coming weeks and Steve Borthwick’s team must improve significantly if they are to remain in title contention deeper in the tournament. So far they have displayed resilience, a greater appetite to attack and defensive steel, but for now they remain a middling nation.

Only Ireland also remain in Grand Slam contention and, as they swatted aside Italy despite making six changes, it was hard to look beyond another clean sweep for Andy Farrell’s men. No side has managed back-to-back Grand Slams in the Six Nations era but such is the depth in Irish rugby and the fluency of their game that it would take a sizeable upset to prevent them writing their name in the history books. Italy, meanwhile, took a step backwards having troubled England in Rome.

Carole’s Pass upheld family honour with a stylish display in the feature Trustatrader You Can Trust Our Traders Mares’ Chase at Exeter.

Trained by Amy Murphy, the six-year-old looked to have plenty to find on the ratings but a bold bit of placing was rewarded in style as she jumped herself into contention at the third last before being ridden out to win in style.

Her dam Carole’s Spirit was a dual Listed winner over hurdles for owner/breeder Paul Murphy, the trainer’s father.

Carole’s Spirit is a half-sister to Carole’s Legacy, second at Grade One level for Nicky Henderson, while she is also related to Mad Max, a Grade Two winner over fences for the Seven Barrows maestro.

Murphy now tends to concentrate more on the Flat but she showed in the early days of her career, with Kalashnikov winning a Betfair Hurdle and the Manifesto Novices’ Chase, that she is just as adept over jumps.

Galia Des Liteaux attempted to make all but was beaten early in the straight and while Malina Girl and Kestrel Valley appeared to be travelling strongly, when Jack Quinlan asked his mount to stride on, Carole’s Pass pulled seven and a half lengths clear.

“First and foremost, I have to say well done to Amy and her father Paul, because I wasn’t so keen on coming down here on the heavy ground but Amy said she’d be grand on it and I’m glad they didn’t listen to the jockey,” Quinlan told Racing TV.

“She’s been wanting the step up to three miles for a while but with breeding in mind, Paul was keen on as much black type as possible and she’s been running over two and a half because that’s what the mares’ Listed races have been over.

“She’s seen that out really well, though – she’s a really nimble, agile jumper and the type you enjoy going around there on.

“I’m delighted she’s got that Listed win under her belt. She was tired in the end but over two and a half, she’d been in top gear and done well sticking on for third in two Listed chases.”

Jack Crowley claimed an overdue first senior try as Ireland continued their Guinness Six Nations title defence with a resounding 36-0 bonus-point win over Italy in Dublin.

The fly-half, who is tasked with filling the void left by retired number 10 Johnny Sexton, has gone 45 appearances for Munster without touching down.

He opened his international account inside seven minutes of his 11th Test to help the reigning champions back up a crushing opening weekend demolition of pre-tournament favourites France.

Dan Sheehan registered two of Ireland’s five further tries to take his tournament tally to three, while Jack Conan, man of the match James Lowe and Calvin Nash were also on the scoresheet for a team captained by Caelan Doris.

Ireland’s display could certainly have been more ruthless but it was more than enough to dispatch the championship’s perennial wooden spoon winners and secure a 17th successive home win.

Andy Farrell’s men remain on course to become the first side to win back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slams ahead of hosting Wales on February 24 and March appointments with England and Scotland.

Italy arrived at a sold-out Aviva Stadium as overwhelming underdogs and seeking a first championship success on Irish soil on the back of a positive performance in a three-point defeat to England.

Paolo Garbisi shanked an early penalty to give the Azzurri the lead, before Ireland scrum-half Craig Casey released provincial team-mate Crowley to gleefully register a landmark five points.

The seventh-minute score initially did little to settle the hosts amid a subdued Sunday afternoon atmosphere, which faded fast from eight-year-old Stevie Mulrooney performing a rousing rendition of Ireland’s Call.

Farrell’s starting XV, showing six personnel changes from Marseille, initially looked disjointed as the contest descended into a scrappy affair.

Energetic bursts from Hugo Keenan momentarily lifted the crowd and led to a second score in the 24th minute, with Crowley, Stuart McCloskey and Robbie Henshaw ultimately combining to tee up Sheehan.

Blasts of Zombie by the Cranberries – the team’s World Cup anthem – greeted each Ireland try and rang out again three minutes before the break when Conan bulldozed across the line after Joe McCarthy was held up.

Ireland had the bonus point in the bag within five minutes of the restart as hooker Sheehan, who also crossed against Les Bleus, claimed his second try of the afternoon.

Centre Henshaw was perhaps harshly denied a score due to an adjudged double movement before grounding.

But Ireland, who saw full-back Keenan limp off with an apparent leg issue, would not be denied for long.

Impressive Leinster wing Lowe added further gloss to the scoreboard with a powerful 62nd-minute finish, shortly after Italy centre Tommaso Menoncello was sent to the sin bin for illegally stopping him by sticking out a leg.

Following Garbisi’s wayward penalty, outclassed Italy offered little attacking threat and rarely entered the hosts’ 22.

Another fruitless trip to the Irish capital was compounded two minutes from time when Munster wing Nash collected Jamison Gibson-Park’s pass to score for the second week in a row, with replacement 10 Harry Byrne slotting the extras to add to two Crowley conversions.

American Mike came out on top after a good battle with Nick Rockett in the William Hill Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan.

Gordon Elliott’s gelding won on his seasonal debut at the track in November, making a successful start to his chasing career over a lesser trip of two miles and four furlongs.

His next outing was in the Grade One Faugheen Chase, where he came home fourth of five runners when 25 lengths behind Gaelic Warrior at Limerick.

Stepped up to three miles at Navan, the bay was a 7-2 chance under Jack Kennedy and travelled well throughout, jumping soundly on the whole and finding himself in the lead approaching the last.

From there, he seemed to dither slightly and it appeared that Willie Mullins’ Nick Rockett might pass him, but as the two locked horns approaching the line, it was American Mike who eventually pulled away to win by a length and a quarter.

As a result of the victory, he was clipped from 33-1 to 20-1 for the Turners Novices’ Chase with Betfair and from 25-1 to 12-1 for the same race with Coral.

“To be honest, he’s probably one of the horses that makes me scratch my head more than any other. He keeps disappointing me and then he comes back with a good one again,” said Elliott.

“He has obviously got a big engine on his day, when he’s right, but he’s not easy to train. I thought Jack gave him a great ride.

“I don’t know what I’m doing or where I’m going with him, he’s a horse that baffles me.

“We’ve just tipped away with him steady at home and haven’t over-worked him, as he was very fit going to Christmas but just didn’t get home.

“He’s in a few of the novice chases at Cheltenham and he could go for an Irish National. I don’t know what I’m going to do with him, to be honest.

“We’ll enjoy today, he’s won a graded race for Noel and Valerie (Moran, owners) at their local track, they are big supporters of Navan and the whole game.”

Runner-up Nick Rockett lost nothing in defeat and was trimmed to 5-1 from 6-1 for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham by Betfair.

Willie Mullins’ first ever runner at Exeter was a winner as the mare Fun Fun Fun held off the late rally of favourite Favour And Fortune in the Trustatrader Fully Vetted Tradespeople Novices’ Hurdle.

The pair had come up against each other once before in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival, with Alan King’s Favour And Fortune finishing one place in front of Fun Fun Fun when 14th, giving her 7lb.

This time, 6-4 chance Fun Fun Fun was even better off at the weights, carrying 10lb less, and it was just enough to enable her to claim the valuable Listed black type win.

It looked a great bit of placing by Mullins, despite the near 700-mile round trip, as she only faced two rivals – and Paul Nicholls’ Insurrection was beaten early in the straight.

Tom Cannon made his bid approaching the final flight on the 11-8 favourite but Daryl Jacob had saved just enough on Simon Munir and Isaac Souede’s mare, winning by half a length.

“She’s not the biggest but she’s got a big heart and tries very hard,” Jacob told Racing TV.

“Patrick (Mullins) actually bred her himself and she’s been a great mare since she joined us, she’s got a very willing attitude.

“She rides bigger than she looks but she’s a scopey thing, she can jump well and will probably jump a fence as well. I just like the way she dug deep from the back of the last.

“Patrick said the one thing she loves to do is jump. I actually would have liked to have been a bit lower at the last but she was big at it, but got away from it well.

“Alan King’s horses are in great form at the moment so he was always going to be a tough nut to crack.”

Hiddenvalley Lake made a successful return to the smaller obstacles in the William Hill Boyne Hurdle at Navan.

Henry de Bromhead’s chestnut had a good reputation as a novice hurdler but did not quite deliver at the highest level when ninth in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham last March.

He started out over fences this time around and contested a beginners chase at this venue in December, where he fell three from home.

Subsequently switched back to hurdling, the seven-year-old always looked happy in the Grade Two event, as he travelled well under Darragh O’Keeffe in the absence of the suspended Rachael Blackmore.

Over the penultimate flight, he already looked the winner and from there he only strengthened his position to triumph by three and a quarter lengths as the 3-1 favourite.

Robbie Power, racing manager to owners Robour, said: “It was a good performance. The plan was obviously to go chasing with him this year and he fell here in a beginners chase before Christmas.

“It took him a little bit of time to recover after that, and it was getting a bit late in the season, so we thought we’d come back over hurdles and then probably go chasing next season.

“He’s done plenty of schooling back over hurdles and Henry’s done a lot of work with him. He’s a very good jumper of a fence and was just unfortunate the last day.

“He loves heavy ground and Darragh said the further he went, the better he jumped. When they stepped on the pace, he jumped better up the straight.

“We knew he’d stay well over that trip and that ground probably suited him as well. It’s great to get that and we’ll see where we go next.

“He stays three miles as well and we’ll have a look at all the big festivals coming up and see what the options are.

“He’s a fresh horse, he’s only had the two runs and that’s his first completed run this season.”

Brighterdaysahead looks set to head to Cheltenham with high hopes after winning the Apple’s Jade Mares Novice Hurdle at Navan with ease.

The Gordon Elliott-trained five-year-old came into the race unbeaten in four starts, having taken two bumpers and a couple of hurdle contests – latterly the Grade Three Feathard Lady Mares Novice Hurdle at Down Royal in November.

She was the 1-3 favourite when stepping up in trip at Navan for a Listed heat over two miles and five furlongs, a significant increase from her previous outings at two miles or two miles and a furlong.

The extra distance clearly did not hinder her at all, however, as she travelled and jumped with ease throughout and was left to stroll home to a 12-length success under Jack Kennedy.

Her odds have now been trimmed for the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival, moving from 7-2 to 3-1 with Betfair and Coral.

“She’s a good mare, a proper mare. She is very, very good, I don’t say that about too many,” said Elliott.

“Jack said he couldn’t get a lead any longer on her and he said she wasn’t doing a stroke in front.

“She’ll come on from it too, as we missed a little bit of time with her – nothing serious, just niggly things.

“She’s got a pedigree to be nice and her future is in front of her. She looks like a chaser.

“I’d say at the moment she doesn’t want that far, she’s got a bit of boot for a big mare, but we had nothing else to run her in because I missed her last engagement and I didn’t want to go to England with her.”

Group One winner Helvic Dream got off the mark under the National Hunt code in the Navan Ford & Opel Maiden Hurdle.

Noel Meade’s seven-year-old started out over timber this season following a successful Flat career that saw him win the Tattersalls Gold Cup from Broome in 2021.

He was also a Group Three winner, with many placed runs in good quality events on the level on his CV as well, but his first two attempts over obstacles ended in defeat earlier in the term.

The gelding was an 11-2 chance under Sam Ewing and was towards the rear of the leading group of six horses when turning for home, having travelled in mid-division for much of the race.

He met the last wrong and landed in a heap but was able to regain his momentum in impressive style to pick off the horses ahead of him and prevail by half a length.

“That was great. The danger was getting home in the ground and then the last didn’t help,” said Meade.

“He actually stuck at it well in the ground. Finbar (Cahill, co-owner) was in Mexico and Tom (Hendron, co-owner) was in the Canaries and I said to them that I thought he’d win – and then I started to worry about the ground.

“I nearly would have preferred if it stayed raining and it was kind of loose.

“We’ll see what happens, it’s taken him a while to get the hang of it. First, we had to get him to settle, which took a long time.

“He’s jumping very well at home and he is very good. I’d say he will be better when he gets a little bit better ground, he does like it soft but a little bit better than that.”

Meade does not have any big hurdling plans for the gelding yet and aims to give him more experience in the discipline before a Flat campaign in the summer.

He said: “He’s still novicey for anything big, so I would have thought we’ll try and get another run into him somewhere and then tip along. He will go back on the Flat again this year.

“I said the other day that if he was in a Group race (on the Flat), I’d fancy him because he’s that well in himself.”

Daniel Gafford felt he was "already part of the mold" after impressing on his Dallas Mavericks debut.

Gafford, who was acquired this week in a trade from the Washington Wizards, finished with 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in an emphatic 146-111 victory for Dallas over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.

Luka Doncic led with 32 points, while Kyrie Irving chipped in with 25, as the Mavs - who sit eighth in the Western Conference - made it four straight wins.

"Playing with guys like Luka, Kyrie, all the other guys that were on the floor, it just felt like I was already part of the mold," said Gafford, who featured for only 17 minutes and was rested in the fourth quarter.

Mavs coach Jason Kidd was delighted with Gafford's display, as he became the second-highest scoring debutant while coming on from the bench in Dallas' history.

"What we've seen playing against Gafford is that he gets every offensive rebound," Kidd said.

"And I thought he did that for us. And we’re going to need that."

Reflecting on Dallas' display, Kidd added: "The pace was high. We didn't have to run anybody’s minutes up. And that was something that we talked about. A lot, a lot of good stuff."

The same could not be said for the Thunder, who lost for the second straight game and were 47-30 down by the end of the first quarter.

"They shot it well early, but that’s where some of the transition, like straight up fast break plays really hurt you," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

"When you're giving up easy ones and they're making shots, then that's how the 47 can happen in the first quarter."

George Ford insists goalkickers will be compelled to modify their routines after he was the victim of a controversial refereeing decision in England’s Guinness Six Nations victory over Wales on Saturday.

Ford was lining up the conversion of Ben Earl’s 20th-minute try and having taken a small step left as part of his pre-kick ritual, wing Rio Dyer came racing off the line to prevent him from completing it.

England’s fly-half looked to James Doleman to intervene in his favour, but the Kiwi referee instead told him that his movement meant Wales were free to charge down the kick.

World Rugby later clarified that the relevant law, updated in 2020, dictates that movement in “any direction” enables the defending side to begin their run.

Ford was left bemused by Doleman’s decision, which could have been decisive in an ebb-and-flow game that England won by only two points.

“It doesn’t make sense to me. I’m trying to use the full shot-clock time as we’ve got men in the (sin) bin,” Ford said, with Ollie Chessum and Ethan Roots both having been off the field at the time.

“You’re at the back of your stance, you have your routine, and if adjusting your feet like that is initiating your run-up then…

“Some of us kickers are going to have to stand like statues at the back of our run-up now.

“As a kicker you want to get a feel and sometimes you don’t quite feel right at the back of your run-up, so you adjust it a bit and think ‘right, I’ve got it now’. You want your chest to be at the ball and all those things.

“What it means for us kickers is that we’ve got to be ultra diligent with our setup and process because if they’re going to go down that route and look for stuff like that, we can’t afford that.”

Jusuf Nurkic hit out at Draymond Green after the pair exchanged words and taunts during the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry-inspired win over the Phoenix Suns.

The resurgent Warriors won 113-112 thanks to Curry's 33-foot 3-pointer in the dying seconds on Saturday.

But while Curry wrote the headlines, and received high praise from all involved, including former teammate Kevin Durant, Green and Nurkic were involved in a verbal tussle.

Green has been careful with his behaviour since he returned from an indefinite NBA suspension in January. He had been banned because he had hit Nurkic in the face during a clash between the Warriors and the Suns in December.

But Nurkic does not believe Green has learned any lessons.

"It's sad," he said. "He didn't learn anything. It's just a matter of time.

"He's going to hit somebody else again. I take everything back, what I said. He doesn't deserve a chance."

Nurkic taunted Green by slapping the floor twice with a "too small" gesture during the third quarter, with the Warriors star returning the favour when he scooped the ball over the Suns center two minutes later.

"You can't be a nothing defender if you're going to do that," Green said of Nurkic.

"You probably outweigh me by 70 pounds and you get put in the rim? Got to be more careful.

"I thought I was great tonight. He tried to get in my head, and it didn't work. If he wants me to walk around quiet, like him, I'm never going to do that. Quiet guys don't win.

"He can keep rocking with that same horse that he rode in on. He can ride his a** right out of here on that same horse. It's not working."

Curry laughed off Nurkic's comments.

"He's given us a lift every game he's been back," Curry said of Green. "He connects, obviously, our defense, but you can talk about his defense every game.

"What he did offensively tonight, especially in the fourth quarter, he gave us great energy in the sense of having that competitive spirit you need to win a game like tonight, to meet the moment.

"Draymond knows how to walk the line that he needs to walk. This is probably the best game that you've seen it.

"You can tell when someone is in your head when you go out of your way to celebrate. Then Draymond comes back at him. All of the talk, Draymond was in his head, plain and simple."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr likewise defended Green.

"That month off, that suspension was real," Kerr said. "[Draymond] knew that his career was on the line or is on the line. He understands that he's got to be the guy he's been the last nine years, not the one he's been the last year. I see him doing that."

Ultimately, it was Curry's quality that settled the contest. The two-time MVP finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists, with his match-winning moment coming when Bradley Beal missed an attempted steal, after Brandin Podziemski had picked out Golden State's talisman.

"He's the best to ever shoot it," Beal said. "So you know the result after that."

For Durant, who played alongside Curry with the Warriors, there was not much more the Suns could have done to deny his former teammate.

"You give him a look like that for the game, he's licking his chops," Durant reflected. "I still think we could've had that steal. It's a tough play. Sometimes guys are just that great."

Kerr added: "We were due. We were due for one of these tight games to go our way. But the guys earned it. It didn’t just happen."

The Warriors have now won their last four games and sit 10th in the Western Conference with a 25-25 record, while the Suns are sixth on 31-22.

Dan Skelton has all but ruled out a Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup bid with Protektorat – but he could still line up in the Ryanair Chase if showing his well-being prior to the Festival.

The nine-year-old has finished third (2022) and fifth (2023) in his two previous cracks at the blue riband but, after only finishing a well-held third in Newbury’s Denman Chase won by Shishkin, connections will now change tack and seek an alternative to the Friday feature.

One option is to drop back in distance for a Ryanair Chase renewal that has an open feel due to the absence of Willie Mullins’ dual winner Allaho.

However, Skelton is willing to let his charge provide the biggest guide as to whether an outing at Prestbury Park is on the cards, or if they will wait for the Aintree Bowl over a course and distance he has previously tasted success.

“I’ve spoken to all the owners and at the moment we are not going for a Gold Cup,” said Skelton.

“We’ve got the entry and there are no more scratching stages, so I shall leave him in until confirmations. But he isn’t going for a Gold Cup unless something ridiculous happens.

“The options are Ryanair or Aintree. He will be going to the Ryanair if he is super well and we really think it is the right thing, so we will be led by the horse.

“That race has taken a funny shape and how does he compare against the others in there? I believe Hitman is going for the race, but how short in the betting is Hitman? We will take a look at the Ryanair and if we don’t go there, then we will wait for Aintree.”

Despite seemingly giving up on Gold Cup ambitions for this year, Skelton retains plenty of faith in his star stayer, who provided him with Grade One glory when landing Haydock’s Betfair Chase in 2022.

That was the last time the gelding entered the winner’s enclosure, but he has been campaigned much more aggressively this term, with his Newbury run the fourth of his season so far – something his handler envisages paying dividends at some stage.

Skelton continued: “What you have to remember with this horse is, he is running really well, we are running him more often and he’s maintaining his form, he’s just that little nugget short of being top, top.

“A race is made up of the winner, but it is also made up of horses that push the winners and you must not lose sight of the fact he has danced a lot of big dances, he will dance a lot more to come and he will be winning some big races, there’s no doubt about that – it’s just very hard at the top level.”

Protektorat’s Cheltenham participation may still be up in the air, but one of Skelton’s string fully on course for the spring showpiece is star novice chaser Grey Dawning, who will head straight to the Cotswolds having skipped Sandown’s recent Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase.

A winner of the Grade Two Hampton Novices’ Chase last month, Skelton would like to continue plying the talented seven-year-old’s trade at three miles, with the sure-footed grey currently a best price of 5-1 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on the second day of the Festival.

“He will go straight to Cheltenham now and I have a slight preference for the three miler, but I have not ruled out the Turners just in case,” explained Skelton.

“The track would suit him better on the Thursday, but the distance might just be better for him on the Wednesday.

“Of those novice chasers this year, he’s our highest rated one and one of the highest rated in the UK, so we have every right to be bullish about him.”

Caldwell Potter will not be in action at the Cheltenham Festival next month, with Paul Nicholls already setting his sights on a novice chase campaign next season.

The Grade One winner was top lot at the Andy and Gemma Brown dispersal that took place last week, with Highflyer Bloodstock’s Anthony Bromley going to a record €740,000 on behalf of long-time Ditcheat owners John Hales, Ged Mason, Sir Alex Ferguson and Peter Done.

The big-money acquisition came just 48 hours after leading novice chaser Hermes Allen suffered a fatal fall in the Scilly Isles at Sandown and connections now appear to have a ready-made replacement to fill the void next season.

And with the six-year-old’s future lying over the larger obstacles, the champion trainer is in no rush with his new recruit – which means the Cheltenham Festival is off the table this term.

Nicholls said: “The lads sadly lost Hermes Allen last weekend and I guess they felt it’s a lot of money, but between the four of them it is not that bad. He’s a nice horse to replace Hermes Allen to go novice chasing.

“He won’t go to Cheltenham because he won’t acclimatise in time. He might go to Aintree if we are happy, but he has been bought to go chasing, that is his job. He’s next year’s chaser.”

Former Manchester United manager Ferguson was no stranger to record signings during his time in the Old Trafford dugout and now is jointly responsible for ensuring Caldwell Potter became the most expensive National Hunt horse ever sold at public auction.

However, Nicholls points out that cost is spread amongst four of his longest-standing owners and, rather poignantly, it is Hermes Allen’s groom Mike Couchman who has been entrusted with helping the yard newcomer adjust to life at Ditcheat.

“Was he that much more than the horse Darren Yeats bought the other year? Probably not, and horses get sold for huge numbers privately that you never hear about,” continued Nicholls.

“He’s a Grade One winner, has got huge potential and it’s a lot easier when you can spread the cost between four people, so I’m excited to have him.

“He arrived on Monday and Mike, the lad who used to look after Hermes Allen, is looking after him and he is thrilled to bits – we just hope we are lucky with him.”

Meanwhile, Nicholls has given his backing to Harry Cobden’s title charge, having seen his stable jockey close the gap to just one behind Sean Bowen in the race to be champion jockey.

“I’m 100 per cent behind Harry and, to be honest, I’m fond of both lads,” added Nicholls.

“Sean worked for me for a good while and rode a number of winners for me but is now on a different team.

“We’re supporting Harry as our stable jockey and he’s gone, I think, from being 49 behind to only one now and has done incredibly well.

“Harry is doing well and that’s youth. He’s still a young man, he’s only 24, but as he’s getting more and more experience and is getting older and stronger, he is riding really well.

“Obviously, Sean has had an injury and let’s hope both lads stay sound now until the end of the season and we have a good battle until Sandown.”