Bernard and Gail Nicholson, Cootehill, Co Cavan

AS if twin two-year-old boys weren’t handful enough Bernard and Gail Nicholson keep expanding their head count of horses at the family farm in Cavan.

Jack and Conor sometimes have to be minded by relations as the demands of a full barn are tended to. No doubt matching saddles, ponies and sulkies will be in the pipeline as the boys grow up.

Bernard (35) rents a nearby yard with an old thoroughbred gallop. “The surface is firm enough to suit pacers,” he explains as standardbreds like to hear the clatter of their hooves. “Gail helps with the jogging every day as well.”

The couple’s rise in Irish harness racing has been meteoric. It is amazing that as recently as Two Score in 2016 Nicholson was still having his horses trained by the Loughrans in Omeath, a friendship which endures.

Bernard’s first big pot was a win at the M50 Skip Hire weekend with Universe Extreme in 2017. Since he has started concentrating in young horses he has won three Breeders Crown races at Tir Prince, North Wales.

Bernard has nothing but praise for the stock bred by David O’Sullivan at Churchview Stud in Charleville, North Cork. “David has done so well with a limited number of mares. We are lucky to have a few of his progeny for some Limerick owners and he sends a few to Billy Roche himself.”

Nicholson is in the enviable position of training a Hanover two-year-old from ‘the greatest name in harness racing’ as the Pennsylvania nursery proclaims.

Nicholson trained the top two-year-old of 2020. Just as in flat racing, the juvenile stars don’t always train on. If he can avoid the pitfalls, Churchview Frankel should be a big player here and in Britain. The following are all pacers.

Churchview Frankel (IRE)

3yo g Foreclosure – Lyons Flum

Our best known horse. He is a delight to work with as he is so laid-back. He is honest and tough – everything you could want. He went 1.58.8 at two and beat the highly regarded Yerkes Hanover.

He raced six times at two, two second places the four wins on the bounce. He’s entered in all the big three-year-old events.

Churchview Carravagio (IRE)

2yo g Foreclosure – Lyons Flum

At the moment that’s his name but I’m not sure if it will pass the IHRA as it may have too many characters. Copying a famous thoroughbred brought good luck for his full-brother Frankel. He is a bit smaller but is nicely gaited. He hasn’t done any fast work yet.

Line Up Hanover (USA)

2yo f Betting Line – Law and Order

She is a bit behind as she didn’t come in until January. The plane journey doesn’t seem to bother these youngsters much. She is closely related to Lucan Hanover who went 1.47. She was easy to break if a little fiery.

Sweet Art (IRE)

2yo f Sweet Lou – Roman Art.

She is nicely gaited and has the white socks but not the ‘Sweet Lou blaze’. She is a half-sister to Porterstown Roman who raced well for Billy Roche last year. She was started last year and then turned out for a while.

So Sue Me (USA)

2yo f So Surreal – LD’s Heavenly Val

She was imported ‘in utero’, in other words in the dam’s tummy. She jogs like a four-year-old. She goes really straight, you’d have to be hopeful.