Paul Nicholls' five-year-old looked a certainty on the formbook and in the betting ring, where he was sent off a 2-11 chance.

And for jockey Ruby Walsh it proved little more than a schooling session as the Flemensfirth gelding cruised to a cheeky one-and-a-half-length victory from Presentandcorrect, with The Big Canadian eight lengths further back in third.

Kicks For Free's victory impressed Paddy Power and Blue Square, who offered just 12-1 about him winning the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Nicholls and Walsh recorded a quick double when Bold Fire (9-2) won the two-mile six-furlong totecourse to course Mares' Only Handicap Hurdle in equally impressive style.

Lucy Wadham's Grade 1 winner United took up the running with just under a mile to go and looked to be going well turning into the straight.

The four-year-old, making her second start of the season after a pipe-opener at Chepstow, was clear approaching the last and went onto score by a cosy five lengths from United.

Disappointing favourite Refinement was a close-up third.

The Shepton Mallet partnership plundered their third race of the afternoon when Turko overcame a penultimate-fence blunder to land the Grade Two totepool Rising Stars Novices' Chase.

Much of the lustre was lost with the early departures of Bowleaze and Aztec Warrior.

And once the four-year-old had beaten off main market rival Predator at the top of the hill, the only thing that was going to beat him was himself.

Turko jumped persistently left at several of the 17 fences in the two-mile-five-furlong event.

Indeed, the 4-7 favourite almost threw the race away when ploughing through the top of the second last.

Walsh did well to adjust and pick his mount's nose off the floor, and the pair soon regained their momentum to beat Boychuk (6-1) by three and a half lengths.

William Hill clipped Turko four points into 16-1 for the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Crow Wood hung on bravely to notch an all-the-way success in the £1 Million totetentofollow Elite Hurdle.

Dougie Costello gave John Quinn's charge a well-judged ride to set a testing early pace as 8-13 favourite favourite Desert Quest was settled in third.

Crow Wood was still travelling well turning for home and although he clattered the last, Costello just had to keep the 92 shot going to hold the late thrust of Desert Quest by half a length.