SESSAY sprint king David Nicholls has done it again.

The North Yorkshire trainer landed another major prize, the William Hill Trophy at the 35th Timeform Charity Day at York on Saturday, with favourite Tax Free.

Nicholls has acquired the knack of landing big sprint handicaps - something that has not gone unnoticed by punters.

Tax Free started the day at 7/2 but piles on money went on the three-year-old whose odds were slashed to 9/4.

Tax Free didn't disappoint his legion of fans as Nicholls' jockey son Adrian pushed the gelding in front early on in the six-furlong tussle and battled it out to beat Intrepid Jack by a neck.

The victory stung the bookies for an estimated £4million and Nicholls senior said: "This race has been his target ever since he won his first race at Thirsk in April."

It was trainer Nicholls' second success in the race, Pepperdine having won in 1999.

Jimmy Fortune will miss the first two days of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster after being banned for two days (September 7 and 8) for careless riding on third-placed Salamanca.

Later Royston Ffrench received a similar ban for improper use of the whip after forcing home Heureux by a short head in the Leonard Sainer EBF Maiden Stakes. Paul Fessey, rider of runner-up Sir Orpen, received a one-day suspension for a similar offence.

The Nicholls family were not the only clan celebrating at Knavesmire.

Francesca Cumani emulated her mother, Sara, by winning the Queen Mother's Cup for lady amateur riders on 5-1 joint favourite Idealistic.

Mum had won the one mile four furlong event last year on Mephisto but this time out Francesca, riding for father Luca, scored on Idealistic which she had steered to an 8-1 triumph at Bath on her last outing.

In addition to the silverware, Francesa also won her weight in champagne.

"That was very nerve-racking for all the reasons, safety, hoping she doesn't make a fool of herself, hoping she does it right and keep the trainer happy but she carried out the orders to perfection," Mrs Cumani said.

There was a Malton clean sweep in the Charles Henry Memorial Handicap Stakes over six furlongs.

Sir Nod, a 12-1 shot from Julie Camacho's yard, won a real cavalry charge of 20 runners to pip the Tim Easterby-trained Nistaki into second with Pomfret Lad, trained by John Quinn in third.

The daughter of Dubai Millennium, Kydd Gloves, who won a fillies' maiden at Sandown on her debut 17 days earlier, improved on that effort to take the ten-furlong Daniel Prenn Royal Yorkshire Handicap under Kerrin McEvoy.

Title-chasing jockey Seb Sanders got another winner on the board when he booted Pedrillo home in the Cadogan Silver Salver Handicap.

York results

York, Saturday, August 27

2.20 (Queen Mother's Cup, lady amateur riders, 1m 4f): 1 Idealistic (Miss F Cumani) 5-1 jt fav, 2 Countrywide Luck 20-1, 3 Dance To My Tune 20-1. 15 ran. Winning trainer: Luca Cumani, Newmarket.

2.50 (Cadogan Silver Salver Handicap, 1m 208yds): 1 Pedrillo (S Sanders) 6-1 jt fav, 2 Impeller 8-1, 3 James Caird 13-2. (Tom O'Ryan's Nap). 14 ran. Winning trainer: Sir Mark Prescott, Newmarket.

3.25 (William Hill Trophy, 6f): 1 Tax Free (A Nicholls) 9-4 fav, 2 Intrepid Jack 10-1, 3 Salamanca 20-1, 4 Excusez Moi 20-1. 20 ran. Winning trainer: David Nicholls, Sessay.

4.00 (Daniel Prenn Royal Yorkshire Handicap, 1m 2f 88yds): 1 Kydd Gloves (K McEvoy) 7-2, 2 Admiral's Cruise 6-1, 3 Thunder Rock 2-1 fav. 9 ran. Winning trainer: Saeed bin Suroor, Newmarket.

4.35 (Leonard Sainer EBF Maiden Stakes, 6f): 1 Heureux (R Ffrench) 11-4 fav, 2 Sir Orpen 9-1, 3 Cinematic 50-1. 11 ran. Winning trainer: John Howard Johnson, County Durham.

5.05 (Charles Henry Memorial Handicap, 6f): 1 Sir Nod (T Eaves) 12-1, 2 Nistaki 12-1, 3 Pomfret Lad 14-1, 4 Steel Blue 14-1. 20 ran. Winning trainer: Julie Camacho, Norton.

5.35 (Michael Sobell Maiden Stakes, 1m): 1 Topatoo (Saleem Golam) 9-2, 2 Dakota Rain 6-4 fav, 3 Qaasi 11-4. 5 ran. Winning trainer: Mark Tompkins, Newmarket.

Updated: 11:38 Monday, August 29, 2005