Cheltenham report: Over The Creek staked his claim for the Coral Welsh National as he lowered the colours of some familiar names in the Boylesports.com Cashback Chase at Cheltenham yesterday.
In the absence of the suspended Timmy Murphy, David Pipe engaged the services of Christian Williams and his unexposed eight-year-old was sent off the 6 to 1 favourite.
After travelling powerfully, David Johnson's colours eased to the front after the third-last and Over The Creek kept punters happy by staying on best of all for a three-quarter-length success from Simon.
The sponsors quote the winner at 10 to 1 from 14s for the Chepstow marathon, while Ladbrokes go 16 to 1 from 25s about the runner-up for the John Smith's Grand National.
Pipe said: "Chasing was always going to be his game, but he lost his bottle after running at Towcester in February and it has taken time to get him back.
"We have done a lot of work on him at home and he has jumped really well today.
"The Welsh National is definitely a possible, but David has a few entered and we will make a decision closer to the time."
Henrietta Knight claims to have unearthed another Gold Cup horse in the shape of Calgary Bay (9 to 1), who coped with the challenges of 6 to 5 favourite Snap Tie and his old adversary I'msingingtheblues to capture the novices' hurdle in the hands of Tony McCoy.
Knight, who saddled the great Best Mate to a hat-trick of wins in the blue riband, said: "He is our next champion, I hope, and he is a lovely horse.
"He has already schooled over fences at home and will now probably follow the same path as Best Mate.
"He'll have one more run and go for the Supreme Novices', although he will have an entry in the SunAlliance too."
Blue Square introduced the four-year-old at 20 to 1 for the Supreme Novices'.
Enda Bolger's domination of the cross country scene was brought to an end following the retirement of Spot Thedifference, and without his stalwart he had to settle for second in the BGC Cross Country Handicap Chase.
JT McNamara had controlled matters on Bolger's 4 to 1 favourite Heads On the Ground but was out-sprinted from the last and went down by eight lengths to the Tony Martin-trained Wonderkid.
Martin said of the 5 to 1 winner: "He was balloted out at the Festival in March, missing the cut by two, and then pulled muscles in his back when he ran in the La Touche Cup at Punchestown.
"He stood in his box for three months after that but had a nice comeback at Limerick the other week.
"He'll probably have a break now and a prep run somewhere in February or early March before we come back for the Festival."
Walsh to return at Thurles
Ruby Walsh should be available for some choice rides over the festive period after receiving a positive appraisal from his surgeon.
The jockey has been sidelined since dislocating his shoulder after taking a crashing fall aboard the ill-fated Willyanwoody at Cheltenham on November 17th.
Walsh has since missed big-race wins on Kauto Star (Betfair Chase), Denman (Hennessy) and Twist Magic, but is now expecting to be back in the saddle at Thurles on December 23rd.
