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Pied Piper strengthened Gordon Elliott’s formidable hand in the juvenile division with a hugely impressive victory in the JCB Triumph Trial at Cheltenham.
Carrying the same colours as Fil Dor, who will put his unbeaten record on the line at Leopardstown next weekend, Pied Piper was the 11-8 favourite to claim Grade Two honours following a narrow victory on his hurdling debut at Punchestown on New Year's Eve.
A dual winner on the Flat for John Gosden and the Queen, the son of New Approach appeared to have plenty on his plate with Kempton scorer Iceo and course and distance winner Interne De Sivola among his rivals.
But after being settled at the rear for much of the way, Pied Piper cruised into contention before easing clear under a motionless Davy Russell to score by nine lengths – to take over from Fil Dor as Triumph Hurdle favourite, although that might not be his ultimate destination.
"He was immature the last day and we always thought he'd improve from Punchestown and he has, he's a lovely horse. There's loads of options, there's a lot of festivals ahead of us," said Russell. "It's always good to ride a winner Cheltenham."
Paddy Power and Betfair make Pied Piper their 5-2 market leader for March from 9-1, while easing Fil Dor to 4-1 from 3-1.
Intriguingly, however, Gordon Elliott raised the possibility of splitting his aces, with Pied Piper having the option of taking on his elders in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
He said: "We came over to have a feel and see where we are. We thought he was a nice horse and we thought if he settled he'd be able to close.
"He probably surprised us a little bit, but he's always been nice to be fair. We bought him as a horse to mix it over hurdles and on the Flat.
"We might split them up or we might run the two of them in the Triumph, you never know. They're both in the Supreme, but this would be a speedier horse and the Friday track in the Triumph might suit Fil Dor better. If one of them was to go for the Supreme Novices', I'd say it would be this lad.
"There's always Aintree and there are plenty of races at home."
Imperial Alcazar brought up local trainer Fergal O'Brien's century for the season with a wide-margin success in the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase.
The eight-year-old disappointed when fancied for the Pertemps Final last year and had to make do with the runner-up spot on his first two starts over fences at Newbury and Chepstow.
But ridden by stable jockey Paddy Brennan, the 9-1 shot could be called the winner a long way from home, with a spring-heeled leap at the final fence sealing his 10-length victory.
O'Brien said: "It's great to get the hundred and it's great to get it for Imperial Racing (owners), who have been with me from day one and have been great supporters.
"Last season it took us a long time to get there. We were in the nervous 90s for a while and it was almost a relief when we did it, rather than a joy.
"To get my 100th winner here, with a good bit of the season still ahead of us, is phenomenal.
"I'm very lucky to be surrounded by great people."
Of Imperial Alcazar, he added: "He has always been a very good horse. He got a nick at the Festival last year and we were lucky he didn't do more damage.
"I was nervous coming up the hill today as he weakened quite badly at Chepstow last time. Maybe the horses weren't quite right at the time or something, but he did the job today, which is great.
"He'll come back here for one of the handicaps at the Festival."
O'Brien spent several years as assistant to Nigel Twiston-Davies, who got his name on the winner's board with Torn And Frayed in the £100,000 Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase.
Ridden by the trainer's son, Sam, the 5-1 joint-favourite bounced back from being pulled up at Haydock with a six-length verdict over Galahad Quest, who pipped Spiritofthegames to second.
"He was very impressive. He got stuck in the mud at Haydock, so we brought him back on this better ground and we did think he had a very good chance," said Twiston-Davies senior.
"The whole of my career has been based on running novices in big handicaps and it seems to work – thankyou Mr Handicapper!
"We'll certainly look at coming back here for the Festival and then we could possibly look at at the Topham (over the Grand National fences at Aintree). He jumps like a bunny, so why not?"
Mullenbeg was an easy winner of the Listed Alan Swinbank Mares' National Hunt Flat Race for Mitchell Bastyan and Milton Harris.
The race is ordinarily run at Market Rasen but frost caused the Lincolnshire track to abandon their meeting last Friday and Cheltenham instead became the 2022 host of the contest.
Starting at 8-1 in a field of 11, Mullenbeg built on a prior bumper success at Ludlow earlier in the month and had no trouble in pulling away from her rivals and galloping to a five-and-a-half-length success.
"It's hard enough to get here, never mind win races," said Harris.
"That's the boy's (Bastyan) claim ridden out, he's worked hard and I'm pleased for him. They work hard these kids.
"She's decent, at home she'd be OK, nothing fancy, but she's a racehorse, isn't she?
"She was impressive, you don't how good Willies' (Mullins, Nos Na Gaoithe) was and the rest of them but you can only win, can't you?
"The obvious race we're working backwards from is the Aintree bumper, with the mares' allowance we might look at the Cheltenham bumper but the reality is likely to be the Aintree bumper."