British champion trainer Paul Nicholls is never a man to rest on his laurels and was already earmarking targets next season for Nycteos after his encouraging victory in the feature event at Cheltenham yesterday.

The Grade Two Faucets For Mira Showers Silver Trophy Chase has been taken by some smart horses like Gales Cavalier and Strong Promise in years gone by, and while this looked a below-average renewal, the winner now seems a rejuvenated performer.

Nycteos (100 to 30) suffered a small fracture in his hock in last year's Topham Chase at Aintree and was a shade disappointing on his first run back over fences at Cheltenham last month. But he could now be in line for a return to the National fences following this three-length success.

Always close to the front for Ruby Walsh, he stamped his authority on his five rivals with two fences to go and only saw the margin reduced to three lengths when idling on the run-in.

"I thought he would run really well here in the Racing Post Plate, but it all went a bit quick for him and he was really a novice running in a big handicap," said Nicholls, who is already assured of a second trainers' title.

"He's still only six and as green as grass, but Ruby said he might be the sort of horse to take to Aintree in the autumn for the Becher Chase."

Too Forward ran in snatches to take second and favourite Madison Du Berlais looked below his best.

The stewards looked into Nycteos' apparent improvement, but accepted that he had been suited by the smaller field.

Laustra Bad arrived with better form from the Festival in the Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey Juvenile Novices' Hurdle but was still made to work hard to justify 11 to 8 favouritism. Third to his David Pipe-trained stablemate Gaspara in the Fred Winter at the big meeting last month, he had rider Tom Scudamore flat to the boards from some way out.

King's Revenge made his challenge in the home straight, but Laustra Bad went with him and boxed on for a three-quarter length verdict with the pair well clear. "He's not quick - he was off the bridle at the top of the hill last time too, but that's just him," said Pipe. "It might be hard for him as a four-year-old next season though."

Pipe, the leading handler this season in terms of actual winners, grabbed a double when Classified (7 to 2) and Timmy Murphy prevailed by a neck in a great tooth and nail battle with Ballyfoy in the Mark Blandford Novices' Chase.