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The Showcase meeting at Cheltenham concluded today with trainer Neil Mulholland and jockey Noel Fehily enjoying a good afternoon with exciting chasers Fox Norton and Shantou Village both winning on a seven-race card headlined by a pair of £50,000 handicap chases, both sponsored for the first time by Randox Health, and the £35,000 Masterson Holdings Hurdle.
Fox Norton, sent off the well-backed 5/2 favourite, turned the two-mile £50,000 Randox Health Handicap Chase (3.30pm) into a procession, while Shantou Village (4/6f) recovered from a bad mistake to win the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Novices' Chase over two and half miles (4.40pm).
Third to Douvan in the last season's Racing Post Arkle Trophy, six-year-old Fox Norton had his 13 rivals in trouble rounding the home turn and galloped clear up the hill to win by 11 lengths from Sizing Platinum (Colin Tizzard/Aidan Coleman, 10/1). Casino Markets (Emma Lavelle/Tom Scudamore, 7/1) was nine lengths further back in third.
Mulholland, based near Bath, said: "We were very happy with Fox Norton. He worked really well recently and came here in great order.
"He has improved a lot over the summer and has got a lot stronger over the last year and a half.
"I would say we might come back for the Shloer Chase next month (Two miles, Grade Two, £75,000 on the third and final day of The Open, Sunday, November 13) as he likes the track here."
Fehily added: "That was really impressive. I gave him a breather coming down the hill to help him get up it and I thought the challengers would come back up behind me but I never saw any.
"He is going to have to go into conditions chases now. We will see what the handicapper does but it was a good performance today."
Shantou Village survived a bad mistake on his chasing debut at Fontwell in August and did the same today at the 12th fence, but he was soon back on the bridle coming down hill and skipped clear rounding the home turn. Long-time leader Mick Thonic (Colin Tizzard/Aidan Coleman, 20/1) rallied after the last but Shantou Village drew away in the closing stages to win by four lengths.
Fehily commented: "Shantou Village feels like he wants to go up in trip but his best form is over two and a half miles.
"I was happy with him through the race today. I couldn't really get him switched on because he was very relaxed and it was only after three out that he started to come on the bridle a bit.
"I like the way he quickened away from the back of the last."
The double for Mulholland and Fehily came in at 4.8/1.
Alan King has a lot to look forward to with Sceau Royal (9/2) judged on his impressive comeback in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle (3.00pm) for four-year-olds.
The French import was fancied for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at The Festival last season following three wins on the bounce but could only finish 12th and also went on to disappoint at Aintree.
Sceau Royal, owned by Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, jumped and travelled eye-catchingly today under Daryl Jacob and went readily clear after jumping into the lead at the last. Leoncavallo (Mr Alex Ferguson, 12/1) was 11 lengths back in second on his first start for local trainer Ben Pauling, with a further four lengths to King's other runner Gibralfaro (Wayne Hutchinson, 2/1) in third.
King said: "We thought Sceau Royal was very good last year - he won four of his first five - and we fancied him for the Triumph.
"He disappointed at Cheltenham and again at Aintree but my horses weren't right then. He had a good break and we have been very happy with him this autumn.
"He has always worked like a very decent horse. What I liked about today is that last year he used to hit the front and pull himself up whereas today he went right to the line which is very encouraging.
"We will creep away for now. He won a decent race today and we will have to see what we do now. There is a Listed handicap hurdle at Ascot next Saturday but that might come too soon.
"We will see what the handicapper does on Tuesday but there are plenty of options for him - the Elite Hurdle (at Wincanton) perhaps. He has a lot of speed so I won't be frightened of going around Wincanton with him."
Sceau Royal's success completed a quick fire 15.5/1 double for Jacob and the owners after Wholestone's (Nigel Twiston-Davies) victory in the Richard Allen, Waters & the Brittons Novices' Hurdle over three miles (2.25pm).
An impressive winner at Warwick last time out, the 2/1 favourite had to overcome a poor jump at the penultimate hurdle and interference on the home turn.
The five-year-old quickened up smartly between rivals approaching the last and put the race to bed with a good jump. The winning margin was half a length from Thistlecrack's half-brother West Approach (Colin Tizzard/Aidan Coleman, 5/2).
Jacob, retained jockey for owners Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, said: "Wholestone is getting better and better and was better again today after Warwick.
"We went an even gallop and did not go crazy. I could have done with the pace being a bit faster.
"I was a little boxed in turning for home as a couple of were coming back on top of me.
"He gave me a good feel at Warwick and felt better again today. Once he gets his act together jumping, I think he will be a very nice three-mile horse for the future."
Coologue (8/1) continued the good run of form for trainer Charlie Longsdon in the opening race of the day, the £50,000 Randox Handicap Chase (1.50pm) over three miles and a furlong.
The eight-year-old, with champion jockey Richard Johnson up, led turning into the straight and fought off the strong challenge of Keltus (Paul Nicholls/Nick Scholfield, 8/1) after the last to win by a length. Henryville (Harry Fry/Noel Fehily), sent off the 5/1 favourite, was pulled up.
Johnson said: "Coologue is usually a weak finisher but Charlie said he had a wind op over the summer and that seems to have definitely helped him today.
"They went a good gallop and then we took it up halfway down the back straight. I could feel Keltus coming at me and you're always worried when that happens up the Cheltenham hill because it is a long way to the winning post.
"Charlie's yard is in great form and, when it's like that, the horses usually run up to their best form."
Tom O'Brien was at his strongest when driving the Philip Hobbs-trained Golden Doyen (11/1) to victory in a thrilling finish to the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (4.05pm).
Tackling three miles for the first time, five-year-old Golden Doyen stayed on stoutly after the last to wear down Will O' The West (Henry Daly/Jack Sherwood, 12/1) and hold off the challenge of stablemate For Good Measure (Richard Johnson, 6/1) by a short-head, with a head between the second and third.
O'Brien said: "I didn't think it was happening for Golden Doyen. He was finding the ground quite dead and didn't have me confidence, but he is just very tough and game.
"I was stepping up in trip and had a little doubt over stamina so I didn't properly go for him until approaching the last. He stayed well.
"He found chasing hard work [last season] and has come back hurdling today and enjoyed it."
Brahms De Clermont (Stan Sheppard, 7/2) battled well to beat Brillare Momento (Martin Keighley/Aidan Coleman, 20/1) by a neck in the concluding White Christmas Parties At Cheltenham Standard Open Bumper (5.15pm), handing champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls a fourth winner over the two days and his 51st of the season.
