Braxton advances his Gold Cup claims

COLONEL BRAXTON advanced his claims for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup with a win in the Listed Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Dessie Hughes’ eight-year-old stable star proved too strong for the favourite Knife Edge, who was just preferred at the head of the mark.

Colonel Braxton set out to make all the running under Kieran Kelly, and despite jumping badly to his left most of the way responded well to a couple of cracks of the whip to provide Kelly with his fifth winner of the weekend, having recorded his first ever treble at Punchestown on Saturday.