On-song Pipe calls the tune with nice double

TORPHICHEN and Ronaldo Des Mottes entered David Pipe’s Cheltenham Festival calculations with encouraging wins at Sandown yesterday.

The trainer was not forthcoming about specific targets but confirmed both of the four-year-olds to be bound for Gloucestershire in March.

The Facilitas Group Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle, landed last season by Fred Winter winner Crack Away Jack, offered Torphichen a decent opportunity to retain his unbeaten record.