HIDDEN Cyclone couldn’t have enjoyed a better warm up for a likely Queen Mother Champion Chase bid as he towered over his rivals in the Grade 2 Boylesports Tied Cottage Chase.

In a very open two-mile division, the Shark Hanlon stalwart is as low as 12/1 with Ladbrokes and Paddy Power for the Queen Mother following a display which served notice that he heads to Prestbury Park at the peak of his powers.

Hidden Cyclone came into this without a win since September 2013 but on his last four completed starts over fences he had filled the runner-up spot in Grade 1 events and he was sent off at 6/5 to enjoy a deserved success.

Andrew McNamara’s mount once again took on Twinlight, who defeated him at Christmas, but he was 8lb better off with that rival and from the third last the front-running Hidden Cyclone was clearly in charge.

The Annette and David Mee-owned gelding opened up a good lead after two out and coasted into the last fence which allowed his rivals to close up somewhat.

However, he only needed to be nudged out to score by five lengths from Bright New Dawn. Twinlight was a further half-length back.

“The ground had dried out a nice bit over the last couple of days and that made a big difference to him,” said Hanlon.

“Two miles suits him well and he has a good cruising speed. I imagine it will be the Queen Mother at Cheltenham. He jumped superbly and what I really liked about him was that he has never been as settled as he was today.”

The card featured victories for several improving types and foremost among these was Embracing Change (7/2) who won the Racing UK-sponsored Grand National Trial with the utmost ease.

This Grade C event allowed Robert Tyner’s charge to bring up a four-timer and he could bag another good prize before long.

Embracing Change travelled especially well throughout for Philip Enright and had yet to come off the bridle when easing ahead of former winner Portrait King before the last fence.

Enright could afford to ease his mount right down in the closing stages for a length and a half win over Portrait King - a margin that scarcely conveyed his superiority.

Another long distance handicap will be next for the Finbar O’Neill-owned gelding and a trip across the Irish Sea wasn’t ruled by the trainer’s wife, Mary.

Bentelimar gave Shay Barry his biggest success since he took out his training licence 12 months ago in the Listed I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle.

Fresh from landing a useful handicap at Leopardstown in December, the Jim Ryan-owned and bred gelding was returned a well-backed 4/1 chance for an interesting event where four of the six runners had won last time out.

The 131-rated Bentelimar made several mistakes but he still opened up a useful lead for Brian O’Connell nearing the last.

A somewhat ponderous jump gave his rivals some hope but Bentelimar picked up again for a decisive three and a half lengths triumph over the Grade 1-placed All Hell Let Loose.

“He was dropping back to two miles today but Brian said he’s not slow and he’s come on a good bit since Leopardstown,” reported Barry. “He has entries in a few of the novices at Cheltenham and we might put him in some of the handicaps as well. He doesn’t want the ground too deep and fair play to Philip Fenton for sending him my way.”

The progressive six-year-old Lean Araig (11/1) made it two wins from as many starts in handicaps as he fought off the hat-trick chasing Mydor in a titanic conclusion to the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Qualifier.

From the turn-in the outcome of this three miles contest rested between the Robbie Colgan-ridden winner and Mydor who had scythed through the pack in style.

The front pair jumped the last in unison but early on the run-in Mydor went about a neck up. Lean Araig refused to yield though and answered his rider’s every call to force his way in front in the closing strides, edging the bobbing finish by a head. There was eight and a half lengths back to the third-placed Lite Duties.

“He battled really well in what looked a good race. He’s improving and so is his jumping even though we haven’t been able to do much schooling with him since he won here last month,” declared Oliver McKiernan. “He won’t go for the final of this at Cheltenham and we could look at a novice hurdle for him at the end of the month.”

Gordon Elliott took the wraps off another highly promising bumper performer in General Principle who was in a different league to his rivals in the concluding contest.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding, who won his only point-to-point start for Stuart Crawford, already had this race in safe keeping with a quarter of a mile to run.

Impressively, the even-money favourite extended his margin of superiority all the way to the line to score by some 22 lengths, continuing a superb run for jockey David Mullins. General Principle could run once more this season.

The wide margin November Handicap hero Open Eagle was returned at 8/13 for his jumping debut in the two and a half miles Michael Fitzpatrick Memorial Maiden Hurdle but he was beaten seven lengths into third by Total Recall (11/2).

The Sandra Hughes-trained winner made all the running for Bryan Cooper and stuck to his task well when pressed by Oscar Knight off the last bend. There wasn’t much between the front pair at the final flight but Total Recall produced a much quicker jump there to seal the outcome.

The winner, who was placed on his first two starts, is owned by the Slaneyville Syndicate whose colours were previously carried with distinction by Dessie Hughes’ dual Grade 1 winner Schindlers Hunt.

“He was bought after he won his point-to-point and stays forever. He went a hell of a gallop and picked up well of it,” commented Ms Hughes.

There was also a reversal for odds-on punters in the opener as Quantitativeeasing (8/11) had to settle for fourth behind Ballyboker Bridge (20/1) in the P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase.

A second racecourse winner for jockey Garrett Murphy, the eight-year-old was enhancing trainer Peter Maher’s increasingly formidable record in the cross-country sphere. A huge upset looked to be in store as 66/1 chance Owens Pride held a lead of several lengths nearing the last but the outsider wasn’t too fluent there whereas Ballyboker Bridge landed running.

This enabled the early pace setter to get back in front on the run-in and carry the day by a length and a half. Maher trains the gelding for Tara Clarke McKeon.