Event 'full of beans' says Loxton - now for Cheltenham

The nine-year-old, who is trained in Somerset by Rose Loxton (pictured), carried a double penalty to victory in a two-and-a-half-mile mixed open race at the New Forest meeting, staged at Larkhill in Wiltshire. In doing so he beat seven rivals and won by eight lengths and 18 lengths, teeing up another visit to the Cheltenham Festival, although he was lying second, a length and a half down at the final fence, where pacesetting Grand Gold (in receipt of 9lb) tumbled.

David Redvers, Sheikh Fahad's racing manager, said: "Will was pleased with the run, because the horse was rusty after a long break - his next target is the Foxhunter Chase at the Festival [in which he finished 12th of 24 last year], but he does want good ground."

Trainer Rose Loxton echoed that when saying today: "The horse is fine after his run - he had a day off in the field yesterday, and I cantered him today. He's full of beans and in really good form.