Perfect anniversary gift for Nicholls as Mick Pastor makes it four on the bounce

The progressive Mick Pastor maintained his perfect record over fences this season when landing the 2m1f Best Mate novice handicap chase to provide trainer Paul Nicholls with a winner on the 30th anniversary of the move to his Ditcheat stable.

The five-year-old faced one opponent, the Tom Lacey-trained Sebastopol, in the gloomy fog at the Devon track, but made light work of his rival, leaving winning jockey Harry Cobden convinced he could be a Graded performer in waiting.

He told Racing TV: "We had to do the hard work ourselves, I’d say Mr Lacey was quite canny with his instructions to take us on. Plenty went wrong for him, we were taken on early and he is much better left-handed.

"I think he could run alright in the spring, somewhere like Aintree in a Graded race."

Even though it was his only ride of the day, the work did not stop for Cobden, who dashed off from the track following his ride to help his dad on their Somerset farm.

An Tailliur lands five-timer

The improving An Tailliur emerged out of the mist to land his fifth consecutive victory in the 2m7f handicap hurdle for Jonjo O'Neill snr and Jr.

The winning jockey said: "He’s not extremely flashy but he’s always there at the end of his races – he’s improving away nicely.

"He does want quick ground, I thought first time [over] 3m may just stretch him. He managed it fine but I think he could drop back to two-and-a-half no problem."

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