Celestial Halo

Celestial Halo got his campaign off to the best possible start when completing a Wincanton double for Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh in the totescoop6 Elite Hurdle.

Marodima took them along at a decent clip early on, with Mamlook and the winner settled in behind the pace.

Walsh asked the 11-4 joint-favourite to go on three flights from the finish and he stormed away from the pack, easing 10 lengths clear of Mamlook.

Nicholls said: "I am very impressed with that because we've left plenty to work with.

"It's surprised me a bit to be honest as you can't always gauge their improvement from four to five. He'll go to the Bula (Boylesports International) at Cheltenham next."

Nicholls and Walsh got their afternoon off to the best possible start with victory in the opener.

Pepe Simo's course and distance triumph a couple of weeks earlier saw him sent off the 8-11 favourite for the toteplacepot EBF 'NH' Novices' Hurdle and the result was never in doubt, Walsh barely moving a muscle to score by two and a half lengths.

"The way he runs he'd not want to be in a two-runner race, and a slightly better race would suit him," said Nicholls. "He's won two hurdles now and I might just look at a decent race at Haydock in a couple of weeks."

The totetentofollow Rising Stars Novices' Chase was supposed to revolve around Nicholls' 4-7 favourite Gullible Gordon, but he clipped one on the second circuit and came down, leaving the Grade Two to outsider-of-three Red Admiral (7-1).

Trainer Charlie Mann said: "I bought him from Godolphin and I've never seen a Flat horse jump as well as him. He likes decent ground, so the Jewson at Cheltenham would be the ideal race for him. They went too slow last time."