Skelton and Mullins latest after racing at Plumpton on Easter Monday

Predictably most of the attention was on Westport Cove, trained by Willie Mullins, and Asta La Pasta, trained by Dan Skelton, but Nicholls will no doubt have taken some satisfaction in upstaging the pair.

Sans Bruit is an habitual front-runner but Jay Tidball was content to allow Nico de Boinville and Westport Cove to make the running while Harry Skelton anchored Asta La Pasta, a winner at Ayr, in rear.

Asta La Pasta never left the back of the field, not helped by the odd error, while Westport Cove and Sans Bruit were still in front approaching the closing stages. Sans Bruit impressively jumped into the lead at the second last and soon opened up by a couple of lengths.

Westport Cove tried to rally after the last but his efforts were in vain as he was passed first by Matterhorn and then, having seen off JPR One, by the fast-finishing Aucunrisque.

The winning distances were two and a quarter lengths and one and a quarter lengths.

Tidball told Sky Sports Racing: "It's the biggest win of my career, a big thanks to Paul for putting the confidence in me to let me ride.

"It was a pleasure, he didn't miss a beat and I can't fault him. The plan was to make it, half missed the start and he's a horse who normally when he's in behind other horses he tends to race quite freely but we went such a nice gallop that he relaxed and the race panned out perfectly for him.

"The way the race went for him he was never doing too much, I was always in my comfort zone and he was brilliant."

Sans Bruit won at Aintree earlier in the month and Nicholls revealed that he hadn't been keen to run, saying: "It surprised me to be honest with you. His owner Andy Peake, who is away, was dead keen to run I wasn't so keen even up to a couple of days ago. My head lad at the second yard who rides him every day said he's flying so we let him take his chance.

"Fair play to Harry Cobden as well, I hope I gave him one yesterday in letting him off Afadil because of the weight and he was happy enough to let Jay ride him because he could see that we needed 5 lb off the 9 lb penalty; Cobden is not just a top class jockey, he's a good team player as well so thanks to Harry for that.

"Matterhorn ran well, I'd say it was nearly a career best for him. We trained him for today. Hate beating your other owners' horses but sometimes you have to. I find it hard when you run two, how Willie copes when you run five, six or more....but sometimes when you've got £100,000 races like this, it's the way it unfolds. I was pleased with both horses.

"Sans Bruit will have a holiday now, the other lad will probably run through the summer.

"A little mention for Jay, he gave that a fantastic ride. We talked about all the different scenarios, he listened, he got a super lead and didn't panic. He's been with us for about a year and is just beginning to come to light and will ride plenty more winners."

All Authorized (10/3) won the opening Cappagh Browne Utilities Ltd Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle as 5/2 favourite Gwennie May Star, representing Skelton, was pulled up.

The winner, trained by Gary and Josh Moore, was well backed throughout the morning as he stepped up markedly in trip in a first time tongue tie and the support proved to be on the money as he hit the front travelling strongly.

All Authorized didn't make life easy for Caoilin Quinn as he looked an awkward ride having hit the front but he had more than enough in hand to get the job done, winning by five and a half lengths.

Second home Kaituna River was, in turn, three and a quarter lengths in front of La Dolce Dolly.

There was better news for Skelton at Chepstow where Deep Purple (6/1) won the opening maiden hurdle and he, and jockey Charlie Todd, completed a double on the card when Doyouknowwhatimean (11/1) came out on top in a thrilling finish to the Tip Top Riders Restroom Handicap Chase.

Neither Skelton nor Mullins were represented in the maiden hurdle which went to 2/11 favourite Norn Iron who won in a canter for Harry Derham and Paul O'Brien but the title chasers had runners in the Southern Cranes Novices' Handicap Hurdle where the Skeltons came out on top.

Mostly Sunny (14/1) was one of the yard's least fancied runners of the day but moved into contention sweetly under Harry Skelton and formed a line of three at the last alongside Mullins' Mr Escobar - second at the track yesterday - and Elysian Knight.

The meat in the sandwich at the last, Mr Escobar had no more to offer on landing but Mostly Sunny ran on strongly under his light-weight, pulling clear and allowing Skelton the luxury of standing up in his stirrups and saluting the stands as the pair crossed the line.

The winning distances were four and a half lengths and two and three quarter lengths.

The race was marred by a heavy fall from 3/1 favourite As The Fella Says at the first hurdle which was subsequently omitted with the screens erected.

The winning jockey said: "I haven't been here for five years, the last time I was at Plumpton I was on the back of three out lying down after a horrific fall and I hope Nico (de Boinville) is alright, it looked horrible."

On the race itself and the championship, he continued: "A lovely pot for a horse rated 110. He'd just been coming back to a bit of form, bit better ground today.

"The crowd here today, yesterday, the people, it's been incredible whether we win or whether we lose, we're unbelievably proud of the team. It's good for racing and we're in there chipping away, we know what's to come, we're not too naive not to think of the force that Willie and his team have got but the last 10 days have been incredible.

"I wear my heart on my sleeve and I'm loving it. Hopefully we can hang on but whatever happens we're proud of the whole team at home and the horses."

Sky Sports Racing that de Boinville was conscious following the fall but was taken to hospital for further assessment.

The Skeltons had to settle for fourth in the Gordon And Angela Ashdown Handicap Chase as Lady Jago weakened out of contention in the straight.

Only four runners went to post for the staying contest but it provided an exciting enough finish with all four in contention turning in before the well-backed Sea Invasion finally asserted under the Sam Twiston-Davies drive.

Returned the 6/5 favourite, Sea Invasion was winning for the first time over fences and since joining trainer Anthony Honeyball from Chris Gordon.

Twiston-Davies and Inferno Sacree set out to make all in the two mile handicap hurdle but he gave way on the turn-in as Synchronist (7/1) went on for Tom Cannon and Sarah Humphrey.

It was a one hundredth winner at Plumpton for Cannon but he might have had to wait a little longer if Byzantium had jumped the last.

Cusano was never competitive on his first run after a wind operation but made ground late to snatch second place prize money for the Skeltons, 10 lengths adrift of the easy winner.

Mullins and Skelton both had runners in the closing bumper with the former's Emerald Poet sent off the 4/5 favourite under Cobden.

The complexion of the race changed quickly in the home straight with half a dozen in contention in the home straight as Emerald Poet and Le Beau Madrik, representing Skelton, came very close together as they pulled clear of their rivals with Le Beau Madrik running around under pressure.

In contrast, Emerald Poet ran straight and true and scored a shade cosily by a length.

Cobden has now ridden three winners from just four rides for Mullins after Captain Cody won the Scottish National and Absurde the Sussex Champion Hurdle.

"Proper horse isn't he?" said Cobden.

"He'll obviously go and jump hurdles next year and I'm sure I'll be chasing him around somewhere next season on one of Paul's. He's a nice horse and it's great to get a ride on a horse like that."

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