News from Monday's card at Kempton, where Kim Bailey started an important week with a winner.
Kim Bailey warmed up for what could be a big week by sending out Kilfilum Cross to land the Commision Free Racing At Matchbook Novices' Hurdle at Kempton on Monday.
The Andoversford handler, who will saddle the The Last Samuri in Saturday's Randox Health Grand National at Aintree, saw the seven-year-old supplement his last-time-out win at Chepstow with a length-and-a-half victory in the extended three-mile contest.
Bailey said: "That will be his holiday time now and he will go chasing next year. He is a nice horse. He had a hard race at Chepstow the other day. I know he won by 21 lengths, but it was gruelling ground. He is progressive and he is a chaser not a hurdler."
Nick Gifford enjoyed his first winner at the Sunbury track in more than seven years as Notre Ami (9/4) proved two and a half lengths too good for Destrier in the second division of the two-mile novices' hurdle.
Gifford said: "Tom Cannon said he hated that ground. It was a combination of the ground in a much more competitive race and the two and a half miles (when he was pulled up last time) at Sandown.
"He is a Kalanisi and Tom said he will be even better on better ground. We schooled him over fences on Tuesday and he was brilliant jumping them. He jumped the first two here like they were fences."
Ramore Will (evens favourite) completed gave conditional jockey Harry Reed his first double and completed a brace for trainer Chris Gordon with a six-length verdict in division one of the Matchbook Racing Is Commision Free Handicap Hurdle
Reed, 21, said: "That's my first double so it's happy days. Chris Gordon has been working wonders for me. It's a great track to ride a double at as it has lots of history."
Highway One O One (7/4) had got the ball rolling for the duo when making all to land the opening division of the two-mile novices' hurdle by five lengths.
Gordon said: "He has been a great horse for us. We might just look at a little chase in May before he gets chucked out. He has run in four point-to-points and he is built to jump a fence. That's the way forward with him."
Charlie Longsdon was only too pleased the owners of Leith Hill Lad went against his wishes after the eight-year-old maintained his unbeaten record at the track when prevailing by a length and a quarter in the Better Odds With Matchbook Chase.
The Chipping Norton handler said of the 7/1 winner: "I tried to make the owners pull him out because of the ground.
"We always knew he could jump, but he has not really been jumping on really soft ground.
"Once he was jumping and got into a nice rhythm, I knew he would run well. Hopefully he will have a couple more runs in the spring."
James Best made it two winners in as many days after steering the Johnny Farrelly-trained Conna Cross (12/1) to glory by three-quarters of a length on his British debut in the Matchbook Casino Handicap Chase.
Best said: "I could not buy a winner for the last few months. Yesterday was a relief when you go through a spell like that.
"I was praying I would hold on after the last as I could sense something on my girth."