Coral Pendil Novices' Chase report and free video replay | Harry Cobden completes Solo mission

The 3/1 chance got an easy lead and put in a superb round of jumping that enabled him to skip away from his rivals after the last for a two-length victory.

Datsalrightgino tried to make inroads in the home straight but the slick jumping of the winner made life tough for him and he had to settle for second under Gavin Sheehan.

Third home Boothill was sent off the 15/8 favourite but he didn't travel with any fluency and didn't pick up when the chips were down in the final quarter mile.

Cobden said: "He jumped brilliantly the whole way and stayed on really well. No one was keen to make it and Paul didn't think he was 110% ready today so we went nice and steady and he picked up really well.

"I winged the last which probably helped seal the deal."

Nicholls, who landed last year’s race in the same silks with Pic D’Orhy, said: “It is three years ago that he won the Adonis here and we thought the world was at his feet but it has not worked out as easy as it might.

“He has just needed plenty of time and he has had a few issues with his breathing

“We tweaked his breathing since Boxing Day, where we re-cauterized his palate and that has helped him. That Boxing Day form has worked out very well and he was very good today.

“I was just worried he had three weeks off after the wind op, as you have to, and I’ve only had three weeks really to get him ready and I thought he was two weeks off his best. Perhaps he will improve for that, you never know.

“It was a good plan (of Harry’s) as he said no one wanted to make it so he sat in front with him and just kept doing that and filled his lungs up. It was a great ride.”

With no entries next to his name at the Cheltenham Festival the Ditcheat handler hinted that a return outing over course and distance could be on the agenda instead.

He added: “He will either go to Sandown the weekend before Cheltenham for quite a valuable novices’ chase or there is a valuable handicap back here the Saturday after Cheltenham. He will go to one of those two next.

“The week after Aintree there is that Future Champions Novices’ Chase at Ayr and that would suit him very nicely. There are plenty of race for him but it was just nice to win that one today.”

Rubaid has Aintree on agenda

By Graham Clark

Nicholls might be putting the finishing touches to his team for next month’s Cheltenham Festival, but he has his sights set on an outing at Aintree for Rubaud, who secured the biggest success of his career in the Sky Bet Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle making it a double on the card for the Ditcheat yard.

Having finished eighth on the card 12 months ago on his British debut in the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, the gelded son of Air Chief Marshall made his second appearance at the meeting a triumphant one with a front running victory in the Grade Two prize.

Finishing well held in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury earlier this month, the 11/4 chance, who before that effort had filled the runner-up spot second over course and distance in on Boxing Day, appeared a much more settled character sporting a first-time hood.

With favourite Hansard out of contention it was left to the mare Mullenbeg to throw down the final challenge. However, her effort came up short with a length and a quarter separating the pair at the line to complete a 13/1 double for Nicholls and jockey Harry Cobden following the earlier victory of Solo.

Nicholls, who was celebrating his fourth victory in the race, said: “He won twice earlier in the season making all at Taunton. The ground was a bit soft here on Boxing Day, and the whole thing went wrong in the Betfair Hurdle as he got a bit lit up.

“Today was much better. He relaxed and jumped great and galloped on strong. He had a bit of form in France before he ran here last year but he made a bit of a noise and he bled that day, so he had his wind sorted out and we gave him some time.

“That was what he done earlier in the season at Taunton, he absolutely bolted in by going from the front. He is a good horse - he has just got to learn to relax a bit more.

“We won’t go for the Supreme as we have Tahmuras for that and he is probably not ready for that. You are not going to dominate around there. Aintree is probably a bit easier for a front runner.

“I think a flat track suits him nicely and we will keep him nice and fresh, and though it is a big step up we will go for the Grade One over two miles at Aintree. The exciting thing is he will be a lovely two-mile chaser next season.”

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