CHELTENHAM’S Festival Trials Day card last Saturday survived the elements and served up some memorable performances, not least that of Smad Place in the BetBright Trial Chase.

Stamina was the dish of the day on testing ground, with a strong wind and all but the final race being well-run. The margins between horses, and even the order in in some instances, may need to be treated with a degree of caution.

That BetBright Trial Chase was a case in point. It resulted in a good time – 168 for Smad Place – but what looked like being a close-run thing between the winner and Many Clouds ended up one-sided as the latter (161 timefigure) emptied out.

Smad Place could be a tough nut to crack in the Cheltenham Gold Cup if it turns into the kind of slog it was in 2015, but otherwise it is reasonable to think he remains some way behind the horses who beat him (or would have beaten him in Don Cossack’s case) at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

The opening JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial, won by Protek Des Flos (140 timefigure) requires even more interpretation, as sectionals suggest strongly that the leaders went for home too soon. The time for the long run from three out to two out was comfortably fastest of all hurdles on the card.

Those leaders were Who Dares Wins and Clan Des Obeaux, who buckled late on and finished fourth and second. They still come out as best in this race (timefigures of 143 and 142 respectively) as they were conceding weight to the majority of their rivals and both look over-priced ante-post for the Triumph itself.

On a day when plenty of horses found things hard work, Yanworth and Thistlecrack won their races with remarkable ease. Yanworth took on the mantle of fastest novice hurdler with a timefigure of 151 that could clearly have been improved upon had he been asked, while Thistlecrack is the one to beat in the staying-hurdle division at present.

Thistlecrack beat a couple of former chasers and a 13-year-old in the Cleeve Hurdle, but nonetheless registered a 162 time performance in winning by 12 lengths. That may be good enough to win a World Hurdle in an ordinary year, and there can be little doubt that Thistlecrack has more in the locker if required.