Irish Pointers winner Potters Charm (6/5)

Cheltenham staged their opening meeting of the season and it proved another successful afternoon for followers of One Jump Ahead. Valgrand (3/1) made it three out of three over timber when running away with the Grade 2 Sky Bet Novices' Hurdle scoring by seventeen lengths. Trained by Dan Skelton, he finished runner-up in an Irish point for Donnchadh Doyle before finishing fourth in the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree last spring. A dual winner over hurdles at Uttoxeter and Bangor in May, he was allocated a mark of 118 as a result but is evidently much better than judged on his latest performance. Making all, Harry Skelton's mount jumped slickly before sprinting away off the hometurn. The runner-up Gale Mahler had won four times over hurdles beforehand and is rated 135. More Graded contests await the winner. Understandably, his trainer would like to see a similar performance next time before he starts dreaming about Festival success in March.

Declan Phelan's Irish Pointers have started the campaign brightly and Potters Charm made it two out of two over obstacles. The Valirann gelding had won decisively on his hurdles debut at Worcester earlier this month and he didn't have too much trouble defying his penalty in the two and a half miles novice hurdle. Positioned in behind the leaders, Nigel Twiston-Davies' runner made his move before the second last and was in control soon afterwards. A two and a quarter lengths winner from Irish raider Minella Sixo, he is likely to be aimed at Graded company next time - the Paddy Power meeting is expected to be his next port of call. If he passes that test, the five year old could be steered towards the Challow Hurdle at Newbury over Christmas.