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.