Walsh - Wincanton winner.
PEPE POWERS TO EASY VICTORY
By Tom Peacock, Press Association Sport
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Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh got their afternoon at Wincanton off to the best possible start with victory in the opener.
Pepe Simo's course and distance triumph a couple of weeks earlier saw him sent off the 8-11 favourite for the toteplacepot EBF "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle and the result was never in doubt.
Walsh barely moved a muscle as his mount came two and a half lengths clear of Diamond Brook with pounds more in hand.
"The way he runs he'd not want to be in a two-runner race and a slightly better race would suit him," said Nicholls.
"He's won two hurdles now and I might just look at a decent race at Haydock in a couple of weeks."
Hopes of Nicholls and Walsh going through the card were dashed in the toteexacta Handicap Chase when their 4-1 favourite Now Listen To Me could only manage third.
The race went to Henry Daly's Master Somerville (10-1), who dominated much of the race under Andrew Tinkler and went on to win by three and three-quarter lengths.
"They can surprise you," said Daly.
"I thought he would run perfectly well but a lot of mine have needed the run and he probably did too.
"He has always run well first time out and he had slipped to a competitive mark."
Amber Brook (12-1) seems to save her best for Wincanton and collected the toteswinger Mares' Handicap Hurdle for the second year in a row.
After her previous win, she had struggled in Listed and Graded company and despite shouldering joint top-weight of 11st 12lb, she showed plenty of toe on the run-in under Paddy Brennan to win by three and a half lengths from Argent Luno.
Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies said: "She won last year so we hoped she would run well again, although she was carrying a stone more this time.
"She ran badly at Chepstow last time - it just didn't suit her."
Charlie Mann's Red Admiral won his third race over fences when beating Bakbenscher in the totetentofollow Rising Stars Novices' Chase.
The Grade Two race was supposed to revolve around the odds-on favourite Gullible Gordon to provide Nicholls and Walsh with yet another winner but he departed early on the second circuit.
Jason Maguire just had to keep him up to his work to enable him to come home eight lengths in front as the 7-1 winner, the outsider of three.
Mann said: "I bought him from Godolphin. He won a Listed race on the Flat but I've never seen a Flat horse jump as well as him.
"He has won three out of four now over fences and likes decent ground so the Jewson at Cheltenham would be the ideal race for him."
The toteexacta Handicap Chase went to Henry Daly's Master Somerville (10-1), who dominated under Andrew Tinkler, scoring by three and three-quarter lengths.
"They can surprise you," said Daly.
"I thought he would run perfectly well but a lot of mine have needed the run and he probably did too. He had slipped to a competitive mark."
The Bob Buckler-trained John's Gift (9-1) put his prior experience to good use to take the totepool-sponsored bumper.
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