Christmas came a few days early for Lambourn trainer Charlie Mann when Monica's Story strolled away the EBF Panacur Guard Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Qualifier) at Ludlow yesterday.

And just for good measure Jockey Noel Fehily described the mare, who scored an easy 10-lengths victory over Water Stratford, as "the best horse he's ever ridden".

From some way out Fehily was taking long leisurely looks over his shoulder for non-existent dangers before coasting up at the straight to score in heavily eased down fashion.

"It's a very nice Christmas present the way she's won" beamed Mann. "She'll go for the final of this race at Newbury just after the Cheltenham Festival and she could also take in the EBF Final at Cheltenham in April but we won't be doing too much with her this season before she goes novice chasing next term," he added.

Fehily had early initiated a near 35 to 1 double after Tejano Gold overcame a 391-day absence to stay on gamely and lift the P & T Jones Handicap Chase by a length and a quarter from Shepherds Rest.

Martin Pipe's Cosmo Jack enjoyed the drop in grade to regain the winning thread in the juvenile claiming hurdle, but Tony McCoy had to keep the three-year-old up to his work to hold Nick's Choice by four lengths.

McCoy may have been unlucky not to land the Moore Scott Handicap Chase aboard Radiation as his mount was upsides eventual winner Wren Warbler at the final fence when making a blunder.

However, the champion jockey bounced back to notch a double after one-time Champion Hurdle hope Blowing Wind made virtually all for the John Horlock Retirement Novices' Chase to open his account over fences.