CHELTENHAM is one of the great success stories of recent years and another huge crowd turned up on Saturday for the Showcase meeting, when local trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies starred with a splendid hat-trick. He was quickly off the mark when grand servant Cogry, having raced up with the pace, led after three out in the randoxhealth.com Handicap Chase and quickly settled the issue, pulling four lengths clear of Singlefarmpayment with Doing Fine a good third.

Staying has always been the winner’s forte, as he showed when second in the Scottish Grand National, and this three miles and a furlong was meat and drink to him. He may well take his chance in the Ladbrokes Gold Cup, the replacement for the Hennessy, at Newbury.

“He got into a good rhythm all the way today and it was just a question of getting him jumping. He picked up really well and was just a bit lonely late on,” said winning jockey Sam Twiston-Davies.

FOXTAIL NOT BE DENIED

Cogry started at 13/2 and those who decided to stay with a yard in fine form (as usual at this time of year) fared even better in the Randox Health Handicap Chase as Foxtail Hill obliged at 15/2.

A bold jumper, Foxtail Hill was always out in front over the two miles of the Old Course and stayed on very gamely when Paul Nicholls’ 5/2 favourite Le Prezien came at him on the run-in. In a tremendous battle up the hill, Foxtail Hill and Sam Twiston-Davies had a neck to spare at the line, with Sizing Platinum 11 lengths away in third.

The winner likes it here and was a winner over two miles and five furlongs back in January.

This race was worth over £30,000 and there is every reason to go for the even more valuable BetVictor Gold Cup next month. Anticipating a steep rise in the handicap, bookmakers were happy enough to offer him at 20/1.

“He really winged everything,” the jockey enthused. “I thought we might have to sit back a bit over two miles but Dad was adamant that he was raring to go at home, where nothing could lay up with him. He jumped really well when he had to.”

The riding arrangements were interesting, with Twiston-Davies free to ride for his father because Le Prezien, owned by J.P. McManus, was therefore partnered by Barry Geraghty. He is several points shorter than the winner for the BetVictor and will no doubt enjoy quite a pull at the weights – he was conceding 4lb last week.

The five-year-old Calett Mad, quite heavily backed down to 6/5 favourite, completed the stable treble in the Junior Jumpers Novices’ Hurdle, making all over three miles for Daryl Jacob and easing home over four lengths ahead of Robbin’hannon despite slip-shod leaps at the last two.

He may return to fences at some stage but is an interesting recruit to the staying hurdle division, Anthony Bromley having suggested to the trainer that he might follow the route taken by Wholestone last season.

DE BROMHEAD LUCKY

Henry de Bromhead’s raiders are a regular feature at Cheltenham and the Co Waterford trainer is off the mark following Twobelucky’s impressive victory in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle over the extended two miles.

There were only four runners and Dan Skelton’s Bedrock was made 8/15 favourite. However, he was headed as they turned for home with Twobelucky, 9/4, staying on strongly for Andrew Lynch to draw away from Arthington with the favourite only third.

On his good second at the Galway Festival he was a very fair price and showed that he does not have to lead from the off.

“It was nice to see he could do it on a stiffer track and he picked up really well in the straight,” Lynch commented.

Nicky Henderson will no doubt saddle a few favourites here as the weeks go by and he was on target with 5/2 chance Thomas Campbell, who responded to Nico de Boinville’s urgings to account for Milrow in the Pertemps Qualifier.