Golden Silver adds glorious lustre

Paul Townend did the steering on the first four wins, with Mullins's son Patrick riding bumper winner Celtic Folklore (9-2) in the finale.

Mullins had been debating whether to even run Golden Silver given the score was 4-0 in champion chaser Big Zeb's favour.

All looked to be going to plan for Colm Murphy's charge as he jumped to the front at the third-last, but Barry Geraghty's mount got in tight to the final two fences, losing valuable momentum.

Townend could sense an opportunity and Golden Silver (3-1) flew at the last, gaining a half-length verdict.

"It just goes to prove the old

adage that if you're not in, you can't win," said Mullins.

"He didn't jump well early and he only got into it in the last half mile.

"His style of racing suits being dropped in like that, though.

"I'd imagine he could go straight across the water (to Cheltenham).

"I was thinking of the Ryanair, but we'll leave him in the Champion Chase as well and see what happens.

"I thought he could be a bit flat coming here off the back of recent runs, but maybe he is better suited to having a run rather than being trained.

"Going on the evidence, and the way he operates, he could run again before Cheltenham."

Murphy said of Big Zeb: "There was always going to be a day like that and today was the day.

"Anyway, we learned plenty and he seems to be okay after it.

"He probably jumped too well to get there when he did.

"All things considered he ran a blinder but it was just the wrong result. There is no disgrace in losing. Golden Silver is a very good horse."

Totesport reintroduced Golden Silver to their Queen Mother

betting at 8-1 and quote him at 10s for the Ryanair.

Big Zeb was pushed out to 100-30 (from 11-4) for the former.

Gagewell Flyer was given a 20-1 quote by William Hill for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle and the Supreme after maintaining his unbeaten record over timber in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle.

Townend made all of the running and although he put the race to bed some way out on the 13-8 favourite, stablemate Earlson Gray closed to within a neck on his first run for the yard.

"I'm delighted with both horses. I brought Gagewell Flyer back to two miles to get more experience of a fast-run race into him and to get him jumping faster," said Mullins.

"He'll probably go for the Neptune Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham now."

Another with possible Festival aspirations is Some Target (9-2), who easily landed the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners Grand National Trial on his handicap debut.

Hills handed him a 16-1 quote for the four-mile National Hunt Chase.

Raptor (2-1) was the fourth winner for Mullins and Townend in the Mianach Venture Capital Maiden Hurdle.

Mullins said of his debutant: "I saw him in the parade ring in France and I thought he was a beautiful horse.

"At the same time, my wife Jackie saw him on the television and rang to ask me what the beautiful grey horse was, so we ended up buying him.

"He deserves an Albert Bartlett entry after that – he was only getting going at the end there."

Their run was ended when Kerb Appeal could finish only third behind Square Sphere (10-1) in the Pertemps Qualifier.

Robert Tyner's eight-year-old showed more resolution than runner-up Rivage D'Or and won by a length and three-quarters under Phillip Enright.

The winner is now due to embark upon a novice chasing campaign.

David Pipe is not concerned about the prospect of quicker ground for his World Hurdle hope Grands Crus following his scintillating display on Saturday.

The grey had impressed in handicaps at Cheltenham and at Haydock, but was taking a big step up in class for the Grade Two Cleeve Hurdle at Prestbury Park.

However, the result was exactly the same as he annihilated his

rivals by 10 lengths and more and he is now second behind reigning champion Big Buck's in the betting for the staying crown in March.

"All is good with him. He ate up last night and he seems fine this morning," said Pipe. "It's every trainer's and jockey's dream to have a horse like him and that's what we're all in the job for.

"He's still only a six-year-old and he's lightly raced, so it's very exciting.

"We went to Cheltenham full of hope, but you can't expect a performance like that. He was going into Graded company for the first time, which is a lot different to running in handicaps, but he was extremely good.

"The ground in March will be what ever it's going to be, but Cheltenham always do a good job watering. I think he is better on softer ground and he has a high knee action, but safe ground is all he really needs."

he added: "If we finish second to Big Buck's it will be a fantastic run and if we manage to beat him, it will be amazing."