King George on Boxing Day looks next for Charlie Hall Chase hero Bravemansgame

Trainer Paul Nicholls said afterwards that the 15-8 shot, ridden by Harry Cobden, would be aimed at the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day after a comfortable three-and-a-half length win over Eldorado Allen.

Heavy rain on the morning of day two of the West Yorkshire track’s feature meeting did not deter racegoers and as the rains subsided, they were rewarded with some top class performances – including a superb 58-1 treble for jockey Harry Skelton – to take his tally of winners to five over the two days.

The one disappointment was the performance of Bravemansgame’s chief rival Ahoy Senor which meant the highly-anticipated showdown between the pair never materialised as the Nicholls inmate comfortably levelled their head-to-head record at 2-2.

The well-backed favourite finished a tailed-off last of the five runners for the £57,000 prize, having failed to land a blow under former Grand National-winning jockey Derek Fox.

Current champion trainer Nicholls, who counts Cyrname and Silviniaco Conti among his previous Charlie Hall winners, said: "He as good as any of them. Cheltenham three and a quarter miles might not be his bag, but to me the King George is absolutely made for him. I've left plenty to work on for Kempton and he's a very smart horse when he's right.

"You wouldn't (rule out the Gold Cup) with horses like him, but our aim has been the King George, to get him at his very best for that and after that see where we go.

"Ahoy Senor obviously didn't run his race today for whatever reason, but our performance was just what we wanted to see."

Cobden was similarly impressed, saying: "He jumped great, did everything right and won nicely.

"That was the best feel he's given me for a long time. I don't think Ahoy Senor performed as well as he could and should have done, but the race was there to be won and our horse did it well."

Ahoy Senor’s trainer Lucinda Russell said her charge had been “a bit fresh and a bit free” and said they would probably take the horse to Aintree – where he enjoyed his two wins over Bravemansgame – for the Many Clouds Chase.

“I'm just delighted he's back safe, that's the important thing.

"He looks fine and we'll see how he is over the next few days and see how we go. Derek said he was just fresh and free and took his energy away really.”

The highlight of Skelton’s treble came in the preceding bet365 Hurdle, where he rode last year’s runner-up Proschema (9-2) to a fine victory for his brother Dan, powering away from the last to claim a ten-length victory over Olly Murphy’s Thomas Darby.

Skelton also claimed the Mare’s Hurdle on Molly Ollys Wishes (15-8 fav) and Rocky Man (11-4) in the concluding Handicap Hurdle.