Resplendent Grey confirmed himself a major contender for the Coral Gold Cup with a determined comeback victory in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle on Sunday.

Winner of the bet365 Gold Cup on the final day of last season at Sandown, Olly Murphy’s grey was a 9/2 shot for his reappearance over what appeared an inadequate trip of two and a half miles in Cumbria.

Ben Pauling’s 4/5 favourite Handstands set out to make all the running but was hesitant at his early obstacles and while he eventually warmed to his task, Resplendent Grey travelled well in his slipstream and was produced with his challenge after the final fence by champion jockey Sean Bowen.

To his credit Handstands did find more once challenged, but Resplendent Grey got on top close home under the power-packed Bowen drive, with three-quarters of a length the winning margin.

Murphy did not make the long trip north, but said from home: “I thought it was a good performance as we left the headgear off, he was running over an inadequate trip and they didn’t go very quick.

“The favourite looked like he didn’t really enjoy being in front, he wasn’t at his best first time out last year and he probably wasn’t today, but my lad is a very, very good horse.”

Resplendent Grey is now 7/1 joint-favourite for the Coral Gold Cup (from 10/1) alongside Myretown, and Murphy confirmed an appearance at Newbury on November 29th is on the agenda.

“We’ll see how he comes out of it, but he’ll probably go straight to Newbury,” he added.

“His work has improved massively, he’s definitely sharpened up, but to be honest I’m a bit surprised I hadn’t really trained him for today and he will improve tonnes.

“Whether we put the headgear back on we’ll see. I’ll speak to Sean and see what he thinks, but he looked to travel a better than he ever has today.”

Progressive mare

Faye Bramley is excited to see how far Paggane can go over fences this season following an impressive display in the pricedup.bet Houghton Mares’ Chase.

Formerly trained by Willie Mullins before changing hands for 100,000gns in June, the six-year-old subsequently moved to the Lambourn yard owned by perennial champion Sir AP McCoy.

Following a couple of spins on the Flat and a runner-up finish over hurdles at Chepstow, Paggane switched the larger obstacles in Cumbria and was a 13/8 favourite in the hands of Harry Cobden.

Telepathique, winner of four of her five previous starts over fences, was the chief market rival and made a real race of it, but Paggane was the strongest of the pair on the run-in and was nine and a half lengths in front at the line.

Bramley, who was saddling her first runner at Carlisle but rode her first winner at the track during her career in the saddle, said: “I’m absolutely over the moon with her. She’s our stable star, we all love her and I was so lucky to get her.

“Ronnie (Bartlett), Paul Shanahan and Justin Carthy bought her in an online sale and I was like a kid with a new toy. I gave her a couple of spins on the flat and it didn’t really work out, but the plan was always to go chasing.

“We gave her a bit of a break and she put on a bit more weight than expected, so we ran her in Chepstow and were thinking she might be a gallop short but she ran really well and that set her up for this.”

On future plans, the trainer added: “There’s a listed race at Market Rasen at the end of the month and then there’s another one next month at Doncaster. I did put her in the Hennessy (Coral Gold Cup), but we might just stick to the mares’ chases for now and see how we go.”

Ben Pauling expects The Jukebox Kid to go on to bigger and better things after making a successful start to his career over fences in the pricedup.bet Gordon Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

The winner of a point-to-point last year and a novice hurdle in the spring, the six-year-old was beaten for the first time when third at Ayr in the spring and he was a 5/2 favourite to score on his fencing bow and seasonal reappearance under Ben Jones.

Always to the fore, The Jukebox Kid jumped well throughout and found plenty when challenged by Grand Geste to score by four lengths.

“That was a good start. He was good at Uttoxeter on his first run for us and then he just didn’t turn up at Ayr, but none of mine did really in April,” said Pauling.

“He hadn’t much experience to be doing that today after only a couple of runs over hurdles, but he’s a chaser who loves a bit of soft ground and hopefully he can become a nice, progressive novice.

“I’m not saying he’s going to be a graded horse straight away, but jumping is the name of the game for him – that’s his bread and butter – and he looks like he’s going to be a lovely staying chaser.”

Pauling and Jones doubled up with 6/1 shot Sound And Fury in the PricedUp Cumberland Handicap Chase, while Dan and Harry Skelton landed the PricedUp Novices’ Hurdle with 5/2 favourite Tormund Giantsbane.

The Stephex Trucks UK Castletown Handicap Hurdle went to Hartington, a 7/1 shot trained by Joe Tizzard and ridden by Brendan Powell.