'An absolute worldie' - Jacob on a high as Zambella storms into festival picture

Thursday: Doncaster

Class usually tells and it shouted loudly as smart mare Zambella scored a bloodless repeat success in the bet365 Yorkshire Silver Vase.

The £75,000 contest proved more of a lap of honour than a serious race as Daryl Jacob's mount produced an exhibition round of jumping from the front and scored by a comfortable seven and a half lengths.

A seventh Listed success means she has earned more than £200,000 since being bought for €100,000 to race for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and she is now a 12-1 shot (from 16) with the sponsors for the Paddy Power Mares' Chase at Cheltenham.

"She's an absolute worldie," said her jockey. "Every year she keeps producing it. This is her Gold Cup every year. She's so brave and so honest. She puts her head down and says, 'I'll dominate you'. She's the most genuine mare you'll ever get in your life."

The owners' racing manager Anthony Bromley added: "I think she's a little bit better this year. She's running really well and we'll aim her towards the mares' chase at Cheltenham."

Quick work pays off for Thorne

Alexander Thorne got the belated Christmas present he desperately wanted by riding his first winner for 15 months on Highclere Thoroughbred's Restitution for Alan King in the conditional jockeys' hurdle.

"It's been a hard year," said the rider, 27, who returned from injury only last month. "I missed 13 months as I dislocated my shoulder and severed a nerve so my shoulder was left paralysed.

Alexander Thorne: 'It's been a hard year'Credit: Edward Whitaker

"Tom Quick, the surgeon at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, has worked absolute miracles on it and thankfully I'm back fully fit.

"It's always great to have a winner for Highclere and for the boss – Alan has given me plenty of support and he's a great guy to work for."

Trying something new paid off for Restitution's stablemate Senior Citizen, who ended 14 months without a win in the 3m chase. Although the nine-year-old has run several good races over the Grand National course in recent seasons, King felt he had had enough of those unique fences.

The trainer upped him in trip and fitted him with cheekpieces and his judgement proved spot on as the McNeill family's chaser scored by nearly four lengths under Adrian Heskin.

"I'm delighted to get him back on track," the jockey said. "Alan has done a great job to freshen him up and try a new trip and the cheekpieces helped him.

"He felt like the best horse the whole way round and he got the trip well – when they came to him, he really picked up."

Senior Citizen: ended a losing runCredit: Edward Whitaker

At last!

"Imagine what I've been like to live with for the last three weeks!" champion jockey Brian Hughes joked after ending 20 days without a winner by getting Silver Flyer up in the 3m hurdle.

"The horses have been running well but the ground has gone against some and they're not machines," said the runaway leader in the jockeys' title race.

Replays, results and analysis

For all our exclusive free bet offers and must-have daily promotions click the free bets button or go to racingpost.com/freebets