Bonney success for Mann

William Bonney boosted the Cheltenham Festival hopes of Tidal Bay and Kicks For Free when grinding out victory in the Betrescue antepostmag.com 'National Hunt' Novices' Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

Noel Fehily's mount had finished third to the high-class pair over the course and distance three weeks ago and opened his account for Charlie Mann with a four-length victory.

The 11-2 shot made rapid headway to take closer order turning for home and led after the final flight to see off Thenford Flyer, with the pair pulling 10 lengths clear of The Big Canadian.

Mann said: "He is a nice little horse and he does like the ground.

"He panics a little bit so we settled him out the back and switched him off.

"I will either look for a handicap for him or I might send him novice chasing as he will jump a fence."

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls welcomed in the New Year with a winner as 2005 Scottish Grand National runner-up Cornish Rebel reluctantly landed the four-runner Unicoin Homes Handicap Chase.

The lead changed several times throughout the stamina-sapping £27,000 contest with The Bajan Bandit, Fork Lightning and Parsons Legacy all taking their turn to front run.

But Ruby Walsh was content to sit and wait on the enigmatic 10-year-old, who took the lead on the run-in and, despite tying up for a few strides, beat The Bajan Bandit by a length and three quarters.

Nicholls said of his 11-4 winner: "It wasn't his ground but the small field suited him.

"He has always been a character since we got him. He pulled himself up in the Hennessy and started to do it when he hit the front here.

"Ruby got off and said he is a horse for the Midlands National and he will be entered in all of those sorts of races."

VC Bet gave Cornish Rebel a 40-1 quote for the Grand National.

Ladbrokes World Hurdle winner My Way De Solzen returned to the scene of his finest hour and put in an exhibition round of jumping to claim the Grade Two Aquanti Group 'Dipper' Novices' Chase.

After suffering a defeat over the minimum trip at the hands of Arkle favourite Fair Along, Alan King stepped the seven-year-old up to two miles and five furlongs and his charge soared home.

Spring-heeled at almost every fence, the 4-9 favourite made all and was not hard pressed to inflict a first chasing defeat on Turko, who was 17 lengths adrift in second.

King said: "That was lovely - even I enjoyed it!

"He fills you with confidence and can do it both ways - from behind or from the front and he just pops away.

"He loves the soft ground and is very straightforward.

"He will have two entries at the Festival - one in the Ryanair Chase and one in the Arkle.

"If the ground was like this in March I might run him in the Arkle, but we will have to see nearer the time.

"He won't be entered in the SunAlliance though, as two and a half miles is probably as far as he wants to go and we can always step up in trip later on."

Coral cut My Way De Solzen into 7-1 from 8s for the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy, the same price as VC Bet, while Blue Square and William Hill both offer 8-1, Stan James 9-1 and Totesport 10s.

Cashmans cut him into 9-2 from 6s for the Ryanair Chase.