'He was very impressive' - Harry Cobden a fan after £320,000 purchase Quebecois headlines double for Paul Nicholls

Paul Nicholls: enjoyed a double at Exeter on WednesdayCredit: GROSSICK RACING

Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden teamed up to bookend the card, with £320,000 purchase Quebecois scoring on his racecourse debut in the concluding 2m½f bumper.

The four-year-old son of No Risk At All was purchased by the McNeill Family at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival sales in March and made an eyecatching debut for the Ditcheat team.

Cobden said: "He was very impressive. It’s always a job to try and gauge a horse in these bumpers, but it was a half-decent race and he quickened clear. You have to be very pleased with that performance."

Quebecois was not the only newcomer to get off the mark for Nicholls as Toss Of A Coin opened his account in the 2m5½f novice hurdle.

Cobden added: "Toss Of A Coin ground his race out well and he’s certainly a smart horse. I love the way he went through the race, he travelled well and he stayed well. Paul thinks there’s a lot of improvement in him and we have two smart horses for the future."

Landmark moment

Jockey Micheal Nolan celebrated his 200th winner in Britain as he partnered the Philip Hobbs and Johnson White-trained Royal Jewel to a shock 18-1 victory in the 2m½f maiden hurdle.

Eyecatching success

The Robert Walford-trained Foxboro made an impressive return to winning ways when beating Lyrical Genius by 20 lengths in the 3m6½f handicap chase.

The eight-year-old, who was ridden by Harry Kimber, was stepping up in trip after finishing eighth of 12 over three miles at the track last time out and recorded his fourth success over fences and his first of the campaign.

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