Listen Timmy maintained his unbeaten record over British fences with a fluent victory yesterday. The towering bay, a winner on the Flat and over jumps in his native New Zealand, had won twice over two miles in Britain since being brought over by the course chairman, Stan Clarke, for the Stoke Sentinel syndicate, comprised of more than 600 of the newspaper's readers.

And the Steve Brookshaw-trained gelding completed the hat-trick with the minimum of fuss at odds of 8 to 13 in the Wellman PLC Novices' Chase over an extra half-mile.

Making all the running under Steve Wynne, the eight-year-old produced an accomplished display of fencing and was not troubled to hold Absolutly Equiname by eight lengths.

Those who back odds-on shots may have drawn on Listen Timmy, but they had to endure three defeats during the afternoon, beginning in the opening EBF National Hunt Novices' Hurdle (Qualifier) (Div I), won by 66 to 1 shot Claudia Electric, who floored 1 to 2 favourite Andanito.

Things got worse in the St Modwen Handicap Chase when David Nicholson's Random Assault proved too good for 8 to 11 market leader Barnageera Boy, making much of the running under Ollie McPhail to win by five lengths.

"I thought the handicapper had been unkind to him but it looks like he just about got it right," admitted the winning trainer.

Nicholson supplied the 5 to 6 favourite for the EBF National Hunt Novices' Hurdle (Qualifier) (Div II) in the shape of Arctic Camper.

But the five-year-old could not get to grips with Oliver Sherwood's 6 to 5 shot Lord of The River, who made all the running for a two-length victory.

Nipper Reed also used frontrunning tactics to his advantage in the Alan Povey Signs Handicap Hurdle for his third win at Uttoxeter, while Hooded Hawk continued Nicky Henderson's successful run in the Mobilefone Group Novices' Handicap Chase.