Villez costs bookies dear

Dear Villez made a pleasing return to Plumpton after his mishap 10 days earlier with a smooth front-running performance in the Cenkos Securities Beginners’ Chase.

Paul Nicholls’ five-year-old was going great guns on his chasing debut until unseating his rider at the 10th, but despite a mistake on the far side this time he jumped with aplomb.

Liam Heard was glancing round for non-existent dangers entering the straight and the 2-1 joint-favourite claimed the scalp of market rival Mughas by nine lengths.

Nicholls’ assistant Dan Skelton said: “He was a good horse over hurdles and apart from one little blip he has jumped well.

“He had a small injury and had to miss last year so this is ideal and we will try and find a similar race under a penalty.”

Dear Villez was one of six winning favourites during the afternoon, with Oh Crick getting punters off to a perfect start in the Cenkos Fund Managers Novices’ Hurdle.

Robert Thornton drove the 7-4 chance up to try and lead after the last and the partnership only just got the better of Count Kristo on the run-in for a neck success.

Trainer Alan King’s assistant Noel Williams said: “He really is improving and he is tough and stays well.

“Robert said the ground would have been an extreme for him, but soft ground would be fine.”

Iwillrememberyou was the shortest-priced winner of the day as the Irish import repaid his new trainer Charlie Longsdon with a second victory inside four days in the Cenkos Edinburgh Handicap Hurdle.

The 4-11 favourite hosed up by 40 lengths at the weekend on his debut for Longsdon, and it was a similar story here as Sean Quinlan guided him to a bloodless eight-length victory.

Longsdon said: “He loves this ground, but is as slow as a hearse at home.

“I’d like to leave him alone now to Christmas, but I’ll have to look at the penalty structures before making plans.”

The gruelling conditions took their toll in the Cenkos Guernsey Handicap Chase and Emma Lavelle’s Najca De Thaix (11-4) was all out for his eight-length victory.

Lavelle said: “That looked hard work and I wanted to go out there and help him.

“The horse has only ran a few times for me, and he unseated Barry (Fenton) last time, which resulted in Barry breaking his leg.”

Favourites picked up the winning thread in the Cenkos Jersey Claiming Hurdle as Come Bye – the 2-1 market leader – coped with the drop back to two miles with an 11-length call.

Despite being out of the handicap, Kiltimoney (7-2 favourite) has run cracking races on his most recent starts and the galloping grey was rewarded for his efforts in the Cenkos Won The Cricket Handicap Chase.

The winner was warmly welcomed by connections and gifted Richard Mitchell with his first success as a trainer for 597 days.

And Tony McCoy found the best of his way home aboard Venetia Williams’ Latanier (11-8 favourite) in the Cenkos Barbados Intermediate Open NH Flat Race.