The Henrietta Knighttrained seven-year-old, third in the King George VI Chase at this track on St Stephen's Day and sent off the 2-1 favourite, was still travelling well for Graham Lee when he stepped at the fourth last.

Happily, both horse and rider were straight up.

Earlier in the day, Pouvoir added to Alan King's bounty of promising youngsters by taking the Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.

Wayne Hutchinson had to nudge the 7-4 shot along during the back straight and turning for home the race looked between him and market rival Prince Ary. But Pouvoir shrugged that off almost instantly and was 14 lengths clear at the line.

In the Novice's Chase, last year's Order Of Merit winner Royal Shakespeare (6-4 joint-favourite) got off the mark over fences at the fourth attempt.

Steve Gollings's stable star appeared the most unlikely of the market principals to land the spoils with three to jump as Richard Johnson began to shovel on the coal. Suddenly his class over hurdles began to tell and the eight-year-old quickened to open up a 10length margin at the post over fellow market leader Trouble At Bay.

Gollings and owner John Webb grabbed an unexpected brace as 40-1 shot Romany Prince upset the odds-on favourite Princelet in the Handicap Hurdle.

Romany Prince had made much of the running under Andrew Glassonbury but Tony McCoy appeared to be pulling double over his rival.

The contest was turned on its head at the last obstacle, however, and some heavy inrunning punters will have been cursing as Princelet went through the flight and could not regain momentum as he succumbed by a neck.