Razor sharp punt is royally rewarded

NIGEL Twiston-Davies' eternal optimism can sometimes be misplaced but he was bang on the money with his views about Razor Royale in Saturday's feature Racing Post Chase.

Interviewed on the morning of the race, the Gloucestershire handler told people the 25-1 on offer about his eight-year-old was insulting and plenty obviously followed his advice as his starting price was only 11-1.

He had to survive a monumental last-fence blunder and then fight off the indomitable Tony McCoy on Nacarat, who were bidding for back-to-back victories in the race.

But Paddy Brennan managed to galvanise his mount, despite losing his reins, to hold on for a neck victory, pushing Twiston-Davies past the 1 million prize money mark for the season.

Twiston-Davies stayed closer to home and attended Chepstow races, leaving his assistant trainer Carl Llewellyn to represent him in Sunbury.

Llewellyn said: "Nigel backed him at 25-1, although I have to say that I looked at him a bit funny when he did.

"I thought AP (McCoy] would get him after the last as he's the last man you want to see there, but he found plenty. His jumping is getting better and he could be a National horse. We will see how he comes out of it but he could go to Cheltenham first."

Reigning two-mile king Punjabi has hardly enjoyed a textbook season but Nicky Henderson's star got back on the winning trail in the specially staged Racing Post Champion Hurdle Trial.

Hastily arranged after Wincanton's Kingwell Hurdle was lost to the weather, Punjabi had stacks in hand on the official ratings and his only moment of worry came when he had to avoid an early faller.

"He has had a thoroughly nice time and while I know it may not be everyone's cup of tea watching 1-6 favourites, we know they can get beat at 1-14," said Henderson.

"This puts this fellow slap bang in there and he is heading to Cheltenham after an easy win as opposed to last year when he was beaten at Wincanton."

Henderson was also on the mark with Soldatino who won the racingpost.com Adonis Juvenile Novices' Hurdle on his British debut, taking full advantage of Mille Chief's absence through a setback.

Paul Nicholls' Escort'men looks one of the best four-year-old's seen this season after his stroll in the williamhill.com Dovecote Novices' Hurdle but he is not in the Triumph Hurdle. He took advantage of the last flight fall of Vino Griego but was travelling much the better and is likely to be seen at Aintree.

Nicholls and Walsh doubled up just half an hour later as The Nightingale (4-6 favourite) made no mistake in the Racing Post Weekender Pendil Novices' Chase.

An easy winner on his chasing debut, he barely put a foot wrong in the Grade Two event. Nicholls said: "He won't be running in the Arkle, but the RSA Chase is definitely a possibility – you couldn't ask for more the way he jumped today."

Elsewhere, Jessica Harrington's Coole River took the Johnstown Novice Hurdle at Navan and

Noel Meade's Nicanor finally got off the mark over fences at the sixth attempt in the in the Trim Beginners Chase.

Tranquil Sea boosted his claims for the Ryanair Chase with a tremendous victory in the Newlands Chase at Leopardstown.