Big win for Nicholl's Fella
Big Fella Thanks, carrying the famous colours of Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Denman, chose the valuable Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster to open his account over fences.
And like his illustrious stablemate, he could now be Cheltenham Festival-bound with the four-mile National Hunt Chase the likely target for Paul Nicholls' charge.
According To Pete took the field, shrunk from 22 to 13 mainly due to the soft ground, along until the third-last fence where Big Fella Thanks (9-2) went on under Christian Williams.
The seven-year-old kept on strongly to win by 11 lengths from Ungaro, who was also second 12 months ago. Native Coral was third with According To Pete fourth.
"He was a maiden over fences until today. We ran him in a handicap at Kempton last time and we thought he would nearly win that day, but he unseated his rider in the race won by Fleet Street," said Nicholls' assistant Dan Skelton.
"He's in the four-miler at Cheltenham and that's where he'll go now. He didn't face up to the blinkers once and he'd been running up against some good rivals in novice company. Four miles and a big field would suit him
"Paul Barber bought him from Tom Costello in Ireland as a store horse and he won an Irish point-to-point.
"He won two novice hurdles for us, we couldn't win a novice chase with him, but he's won this handicap instead."
Cape Tribulation (13-2) provided jockey Phil Kinsella with his first winner after sustaining a shoulder injury in November when romping home in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.
His task may have been made easier when On Raglan Road fell three out but Malcolm Jefferson's pride and joy went on to rout the rest of the opposition, scoring by 17 lengths from Junior with Grizeback another 18 lengths away.
"He's in at Cheltenham but I think he might be better going for the three-miler at Liverpool. He's a lovely horse and has a lot of class about him and he could be a good Flat horse as well," said Jefferson.
"He's a great galloper but whether Cheltenham would suit him, I don't know. I would love to win the Northumberland Plate or the Ebor with him.
"I thought this trip would suit him and he loves soft ground, that will be the key to him.
"He had really bad ringworm after he won at Uttoxeter but he's really come to himself this last fortnight."
Tony McCoy got within five of his 3,000th career success on Nacaret in the skypoker.com Handicap Chase.
Riding with supreme confidence, the champion jockey kicked on five out after which supporters of the 11-4 favourite were happy with themselves.
Tom George's runner went on to win unchallenged by six lengths from Yes sir.
McCoy said: "He's done it well, they went a good gallop, he jumped pretty well on the whole except for two down the far side."
Pagan Starprincess (28-1) floored the hot-pot Chomba Womba in the Bet & Watch All Horse Racing At skybet.com Mares' Hurdle.
George Moore's five-year-old wore down McCoy's mount close home to win by a length and a quarter.
"She's a good mare. I didn't expect to beat the favourite but I thought she had a good chance of being second," said Moore.
Lightning Strike was cut to 20-1 from 33s with William Hill for Cheltenham's RSA Chase after an easy victory in the skyvegas.com Novices' Chase.
The six-year-old, trained by Venetia Williams, trounced Psychomodo, the only other finisher, by a distance after Auroras Encore and Keen Warrior fell earlier on.
The race lost most of its interest with the withdrawal of Kalahari King, Palomar and Gauvain due to the soft ground, reducing the field to four.
Psychomodo set a decent gallop but was overtaken after making a mistake four out. That left Lightning Strike (8-11 favourite), ridden by Sam Thomas, to come home well clear.
Williams, speaking from Cheltenham, said: "I hope to find a similar race some time next month and he has an entry in the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival."
Laredo Sound (11-1) made a successful return to the smaller obstacles when outstaying Serhaaphim in the £100 Welcome Bonus At skyvegas.com Handicap Hurdle.
Serhaaphim looked like landing the spoils after leading at the third last, but Paul Moloney rousted Charlie Mann's to win by three-quarters of a length.
"He finished second to me on Deep Purple down in Taunton and it rode a good race, but everything went wrong for him in his next race so the guvnor just popped him back over hurdles to get his confidence back," said Moloney.
