This Navan eyecatcher laid down quite a marker for the Oaks - she'll definitely stay the trip

There was an air of inevitability about the finish of the bet365 Gold Cup, as hard as Annual Invictus tried to stop the Willie Mullins big Saturday handicap bandwagon.

It was 17-2 shot Minella Cocooner who came home in front this time, rounding off a novice campaign that has become more impressive as it has gone along. The win followed on from a good third in the Irish Grand National on his previous start, and he looks the perfect type for Aintree next year. You can back him at 25-1 for the Grand National, and that would appear a natural aim as he is not one for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

This is far more of a time to consider ante-post pokes on the Flat, though, and there were some eyecatching performances at Navan on Saturday, headed by the Dermot Weld-trained Ezeliya, who won the Group 3 Salsabil Stakes when beating hot favourite Purple Lily.