However, the combination had to survive a stewards' inquiry after coming home a length and three-quarters clear of Impress. The 7-1 winner jinked right on the run-in and crossed his rival, but the stewards quickly ruled that although interference had occurred it had not affected the result and allowed the placings to stand.

Wadham said, "Leighton said he was so quick away from his hurdles he felt a different horse. I think he was a bit used and abused in Germany as he ran as a lead horse for some good threeyear-olds. He's much more settled now and it was the making of him when we started schooling him."

Alderburn stated his case for the Betfred Gold Cup when readily defying top weight under Tony McCoy in the betdirect. com Handicap Chase. Solidly backed both in the offices and on course, the 7-2 favourite was in control after seeing off Brumous before the second-last fence and idled on the run-in before scoring by three lengths and one from Alexanderthegreat and Kenzo III.

The gelding has 9st 7lb in the Betfred and trainer Henry Daly observed, "The Betfred is the plan and he gets in without a penalty. He has to have good ground and we should get it at Sandown.

"I considered running him at Cheltenham but after walking the course realised the ground was too soft.

Today he's won a handicap with top weight and done it nicely."

A crack at the Scottish Champion Hurdle is on the cards for Fleet Street after he overcame an absence of 466 days in the Betfair Supporting Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Newbury. The 9-2 shot, owned by Henry Ponsonby, stuck to his guns when asked for an effort and passed Swing Bill and Ellerslie Tom in the closing stages for a two-and-a-half-length success under Mick Fitzgerald.

Henderson said of the 2004 Supreme Novices' third, "This horse was always going to be good but has had some horror stories. He has only raced twice now in about three years. When they are good it is worth persevering, but it has been a struggle."

Henderson's 19-day spell without a winner came to an end earlier on the card as 94 favourite Scots Grey . . . also owned by Ponsonby . . . romped home.