Reports, reaction and free video replays from Friday's meeting at Cheltenham.

Fletcher powers to victory in opener

Norman Fletcher (12/1) ran out a ready winner of the AIS Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Keno Black (5/1) looked a huge threat when sauntering to the front on the turn for home but Jamie Brace, aboard the Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies trained winner, had the move covered.

He produced his partner on the inside of the field to thrown down his challenge and the seven-year-old ran on strongly up the hill to score by three lengths.

11/4 favourite Glancing Jack ran on into third without threatening to land a blow.

Willy Twiston-Davies said: “I thought Jamie gave him a brilliant ride. He has been a bit unlucky, but I think he has been getting there a bit too soon, and he has been getting a bit coy. He produced him lovely after the last, and he quickened up nicely. 

“He has always had plenty of ability, and he was only beaten just over seven lengths at the Cheltenham Festival the season before last, so we know he likes it here. 

“I just wish he would stop doing that annoying thing where he misses the first hurdle and puts himself in a hard position, but he travelled through the race lovely and Jamie gave him a beautiful ride. 

“I was very annoyed the last day (when he fell at the first) as he has been in great form for the last two meetings. You are trying to prime him for those days, so getting wiped out at the first the last day wasn’t great, but it was great compensation for the boys today. 

“He had schooled well at home before today. It is exciting, and I’m really pleased for the boys. 

“He goes well on a sound surface. He can go on soft ground, if it is wet and they are getting through it, but if it is gluey he struggles a bit as he is a bit small. 

“We can look at Aintree in the spring, and the April meeting back here would suit him well, but we will enjoy today first.”

Art attack for Copper and King

D Art D Art saw off the late challenge of Intosomethinggood Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Novices Chase.

Given an excellent ride by Daniel King, D Art D Art stayed on well in the final quarter mile to reel in front-runner Bill Joyce who tired in the closing stages.

Intosomethinggood got going late on but the line came in time for Thomas Cooper's horse.

Cooper said: “He jumps, and stays, and I can’t say anymore about the pilot, he is just top draw. He is just absolutely class, he will go all the way. His style is great as he is quiet, and he doesn’t move.

"The fact he rode some winners on the Flat, he is bringing that through to the jumps game. He is going to be snapped up.

“This horse, on August 13th last year, was literally dead. He had a very bad accident at home, it was terrible.

“They managed to bring him back to life at Fethard Equine Hospital, it was absolutely amazing. He got loose out of his box out of his stable overnight and crashed into a wall.

“What he did was absolutely horrific. He bled profusely internally. We gave him a couple of runs back over hurdles after his accident before switching him to fences.

“The last day was his first run back over two and a half miles, but he wants this trip. He will return (for the Festival), for what, we will see, but he is going the right way. This is very emotional.

“He is a different horse this year as he is chilled out. He was very hot and heavy last season, and very wound up. He has just changed his tune. He is loving life.

“I was confident all the way as he jumped for fun, but the rider is top draw. He doesn’t know how to lose.

"If you watch his beginners’ chase back in May, against Hiddenvalley Lake, he stuck his head out and grinded away. He wants to win.

"That was the same on his first day in a bumper at Gowran Park as a four year old. It was absolutely bottomless ground, but he stuck his head out and wanted to win."

Rock Thunders home for Murphy

Owner Max McNeill hopes the victory secured by Thunder Rock in the Jilly Cooper Veterans’ Handicap Chase is a sign of things to come for Quebecois in tomorrow’s Paddy Power Gold Cup.

The Olly Murphy-trained 10-year-old doubled his tally of victories for the season when adding to his win on his return to action at Perth last month with a clearcut success under champion jockey Sean Bowen.

There was early drama in the race when early pace pusher Glengouly parted company with Ben Jones just before the field were set to head out on their final circuit in the two-and-a-half mile test.

Having avoided being caught up in that drama, the 11-4 favourite worked his way steadily into contention before striking the front over two out to move into a lead he would hold on all the way to the line.

And after meeting the last on a good stride, the son of Shirocco bounded clear up the run in before going on to score by six and a half lengths.

McNeill, who owns Thunder Rock with his family in partnership with Ian Dale, said: “He was good at Perth, but that was fantastic. Olly did say that he has never had him better.

“He had a heart fibrillation after he pulled up behind Lucky Place in the Grade Two hurdle at Ascot, and he wasn’t the same afterwards.

“It was Olly’s idea to go hunter chasing, because I thought we should retire him. After going hunter chasing it gave him a new lease of life.

“Going back a couple of grades he then thought he could do this, and he got his confidence back. It was all a confidence issue with him.

“There are more races to be won with him. I’m on the committee here and I have always advocated we should have a veterans’ final here, I would love it. We love seeing these old horses come back. I think there is a real case for it.

“Hopefully this is a sign of things to come with Quebecois, but we will enjoy tonight first.”

Lock Stock and...

Later on the card Stuart Edmunds landed the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle with Lock Stock.

Edmunds said: “I think the ground has played into his hands more than some of the others potentially. He gave him a couple of taps and that was it.

“It was the same for everybody (with the hurdles missing). I think it makes it more of a stamina test if they take the hurdles out as they don’t get a chance to fill their lungs.

“He did jump left a little bit at the last we did jump, but he can do that. It is probably a little chink to him.

“The owner came to us in the spring and decided he was going to send him to us. We had that plan all along (the final at Worcester). The three of us sat around the table and decided to go for that race, luckily that worked out.

“We had to go fairly quickly to get those runs in him to get qualified, and go to the final, but that worked. He is a horse that is a bit fragile, in that he can run up a bit light, but we don’t over train him. He barely has a gallop.

“Unlike some of the others, who had expectations, but we had solid handicap form. He ran well at Chepstow, and I think that form is working out well.

“He is a second season novice, so he went out there with a bit more experience. He jumped the first, pinged it and gained a length, and that all helps.

“He will probably go on holiday, if it ever rains as he wouldn’t want bog deep ground. I think the three mile Grade One novice at Aintree could be for him. They all come here and burn their bridges so let them do and we will go there and pick up the bits.”

Wood has the Energy

Lexington Wood cut his rivals down to size to finally open his account at the seventh time of asking in the Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle. 

Pitched into Grade Two company on his debut over hurdles at Kempton Park last season, the son of No Risk At All had since failed to fire in two subsequent starts dropped in class until this success.

However, after settling much better on his switch to handicap company, the Adrian Butler-owned five-year-old found plenty late on to capture the extended two-mile contest by a neck to complete doubles for triumphant trainer Murphy and winning jockey Bowen.

Murphy said of the 7/2 winner: “That didn’t surprise me. The only thing I was worried about today was whether he would switch off or not, but he switched off well. 

“He is a horse with plenty of ability, but he has been disappointing to date to be honest.

"I ran him first time out over hurdles in a Grade Two, but things haven’t gone right over hurdles since.

"I must admit, when he came off the bridle, I was half-thinking would he stay going or not, but he did. I was chuffed with that. 

“We put the hood on at Worcester, but he was still keen, however that maiden hurdle has worked out really well. We might come back here for a similar race in December. 

“He might be a horse that could sneak into one of those better two mile handicaps, like the valuable one at Ascot before Christmas.”

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