Pere Blanc and Shuil Royale win at Kempton
David Arbuthnot already has one eye on next season with Pere Blanc and Shuil Royale after seeing the pair continue their progression with victories at Kempton.
The Newbury-based handler is slowly putting together a decent team of youngsters, with unbeaten hurdler Topolski set to fly the flag for the yard at Aintree next month.
Arbuthnot sees Pere Blanc and Shuil Royale as projects for the longer term, however, and they showed they are very much worth following with taking triumphs in Sunbury.
Pere Blanc showed he is a massive improver by completing a hat-trick in the SFS Intec New Generation Handicap Hurdle.
The six-year-old won off a mark some 30lb lower at the track at the start of February, before following up at Sandown.
Ridden with confidence by Jason Maguire, Pere Blanc (7-2) struck on after jumping the second-last and quickly opened up a decent advantage, coming home four lengths ahead of Ostland.
"He has obviously progressed a lot - he needed to having gone up in the weights so much," said Arbuthnot.
"He's going the right way, but I'm not sure if we'll run him again this year or not.
"There might be something at Liverpool for him, but I don't want to run him on quick ground. We'll see. We might just put him away and he'll go novice chasing next year."
Dual bumper scorer Shuil Royale had been beaten into third on his hurdling debut at Sandown, but he was back in the winning groove in the Kinnell And Certass "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle.
The 13-8 favourite made good progress through the field under Daryl Jacob and got the better of course-and-distance winner Smart Catch in a run-in battle by a length.
"The ground was a little bit soft for him really, but he's done it well," Arbuthnot continued.
"He'll definitely be put away now and I'd imagine he'll go hurdling again at the start of next season, before maybe going novice chasing later on."
The Venetia Williams-trained Rileyev made it three wins in a month by claiming the Flag-Soprema Waterproofing Classic Handicap Chase.
The six-year-old arrived on the back of recent victories at Newton Abbot and Plumpton, and made it a treble in scoring by three lengths in the hands of Sam Thomas.
Basford Bob overcame a number indifferent leaps to end a frustrating run of placed efforts in the You Can't Lose - Skyline Roofing Novices' Hurdle.
The Jennie Candlish-trained 15-8 favourite was sent straight to the front by Alan O'Keeffe, and the jockey appeared intent on keeping his mount away from his rivals.
The six-year-old ran down a number of his flights, but was still at the head of affairs turning for home and despite fluffing his lines again at the last, he was able to hold off the challenge of Lion On The Prowl by a neck.
"It's nice for him to get his head in front as he's been running consistently all season," said O'Keeffe.
"He's still a bit babyish and it has taken a while for him to come to hand. But he's settled better in his last couple of races and I think it's all coming together nicely.
"He could go for a race at Aintree if it doesn't come too soon, or he might even go over to Ireland for something."
Lordsbridge (100-30) secured his first visit to the winner's circle in over three years in the Liquid Plastics Leaders Novices' Handicap Chase, while 6-4 favourite Rare Symphony took the Sikaspec Conditional Jockeys' Novices' Handicap Hurdle.
