'He'll be one for much better staying chases' - Snuff Box a horse to follow

When it comes to races over fences with an emphasis on a gruelling test of stamina, few trainers excel with those type of horses more than Venetia Williams and she has another classy mudlark on her hands after Snuff Box landed the feature 3m handicap chase.

The nine-year-old was winless in eight previous chasing starts, but battled to victory on heavy ground to win by a neck under Robbie Dunne, who teamed up with Williams to win some top staying chases with Rigadin De Beauchene in the past.

Dunne believes Snuff Box could have similar loftier targets over extreme staying distances.

He said: "The way he's gone there today he'll be one for much better staying chases. He probably wouldn't want the ground to be as deep as that and another step up in trip should do no harm either."

Robert Dunne on Snuff Box: 'He'll be one for much better staying chases'Credit: Edward Whitaker

"On that ground, they got going a bit too soon. I held on to him a little bit and that helped him get home."

There was a sting in the tail for Dunne, who picked up a two-day suspension for misuse of the whip aboard the winner.

Webber in wonderful form

Paul Webber has been in flying form and Eurkash's victory in the opening 2m1½f handicap chase enhanced his fine strike-rate to 50 per cent in the last two weeks.

The six-year-old, who is also owned by the trainer, ground out victory by five and a half lengths under Gavin Sheehan to give Webber his third victory from his last six runners.

Cawley follows up

In line with the traditional tale about London buses, Alain Cawley's 11-month drought without a winner came to an end at Newcastle on Thursday and a second victory followed on almost immediately afterwards when Knocknamona landed the spoils in the 2m4½f handicap chase.

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