Dempsey delivers knockout punch

Dempsey landed his fourth victory at Sandown as he made all the running to take the Grade Two Betfred Celebration Chase today.

Carl Llewellyn's nine-year-old was roared over the final fence as the 5-4 favourite saw off Hoo La Baloo by seven lengths with the minimum of fuss under Timmy Murphy.

He always saves his best for the Esher venue and this classy effort came on the back of his second-placed finish in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Llewellyn said: "He jumped well at Cheltenham and he always goes well here.

"He wasn't as spectacular today as he has been in the past, but he was bloody good and very professional.

"I've not thought about next season - and all I'm thinking about now is tonight!"

Coral and VC Bet cut Dempsey into 14-1, while William Hill and Stan James offer 16s and Cashmans 20-1 about Dempsey in next year's Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh have dominated the 2006-7 jumps campaign and teamed up to good effect to take the Betfredcasino Handicap Hurdle with Oslot.

Walsh, fresh from being crowned champion jockey in his native Ireland, settled the 9-1 shot just off the pace and drove him up to lead after the second-last flight.

The five-year-old made a mistake over the last but it failed to interrupt his winning stride and he went on to hold the front-running Chilling Place by a length and a quarter.

Nicholls said: "He ran well at Aintree where he was staying on strongly over two miles so I thought two and a half miles would suit him.

"I thought he was handicapped to the hilt but he has gone and done it well. The string are on fire too, which obviously helps!

"He'll go novice chasing in the autumn now and we'll probably start him off over two and a half miles."