'This was his Gold Cup' - Castle Robin lands big handicap prize for Charlie Longsdon

Nicky Martin claimed one of the season's major staying handicap chases when she trained The Two Amigos to land the Welsh Grand National in the colours she shares with partner John Simpson, and the pair enjoyed another payday courtesy of the Charlie Longsdon-trained Castle Robin.

Martin may have been out of luck with one of her own yard's members, Bear Ghylls, at Musselburgh, but Castle Robin excelled himself at Sandown, making much of the running to win the £50,000 Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase under Paul O'Brien.

"We've always felt there was a big race in him this season and he's done it, which is great," said Longsdon before dashing to Twickenham to watch the Calcutta Cup.

"He was struck into at Cheltenham in November when we thought he would win but my head lad Alan Roche has backed him today – and that's the first time he has had a bet in two years.

"This was his Gold Cup today, so what happens from now, I don't mind. He'll be entered in the Ultima and Kim Muir at Cheltenham, but we need to keep Paul on him, so I think it will be the Ultima."

Hero again

Green Book is also off to the festival after winning the Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle for the second year running in the hands of Charlie Deutsch.

Unlike last season, the Heroes also acted as a qualifier for the Pertemps Final, although the £100,000 prize he won here is worth exactly the same as the Cheltenham handicap that is now Green Book's target.

Green Book (red colours) has a narrow lead over Call Me Lord at the final flight Credit: Mark Cranham

Trainer Venetia Williams said: "We were going to go for the Lanzarote but then I decided we had a better option at Lingfield, only for that to be abandoned. There were races between Lingfield and here, but we always wanted to come back for this race. We're pleased we did and we're also pleased we've got him qualified for the Pertemps Final."

Woods winner

Aboard the Dan Skelton-trained Third Time Lucki it was 51st time lucky for Kielan Woods, who finally broke his Sandown duck after executing a sublime waiting ride to claim the 1m7½f handicap chase.

A win at Wincanton will now give Woods a clean sweep of success at Britain's jumps tracks, while Third Time Lucki's defeat of the front-running Fast Buck delivered Mike Newbould his 100th victory as an owner.

Third Time Lucki and Kielan Woods set off in pursuit of Fast Buck up Sandown's hill Credit: Mark Cranham

"I've been looking forward to that," said Woods.

"I've never actually had any bad luck at Sandown and the horses have always run well. I've been second here so many times, and also been in front so many times up the run-in only to get beat, so this is brilliant."

Supreme date awaits Chasing Fire

Olly Murphy saddled Thomas Darby and Itchy Feet to finish second and third in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle four years ago. He now looks poised to bid for glory in the Cheltenham Festival's opening event with Diana Whateley's Chasing Fire, who maintained his unbeaten record when winning readily under Aidan Coleman.

Chasing Fire takes Sandown's final flight under Aidan Coleman and wins a contest that confirms his status as a contender for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle Credit: Mark Cranham

"I think he's good but I don't know how good," said Murphy. "Could he win a Supreme? I'm not too bothered about any of the other two-mile novices we've got in Britain, although the horse who won the Tolworth here is obviously good.

"If he didn't go to Cheltenham he would be all but favourite for a Grade 1 at Aintree, and that would be the Gold Cup of his novice hurdle career.

"Whatever he does this season, he is going to be a very good chaser next season. I've only been training for five years and never had a champion, but I hope this one can be good."

McNeill joy

Owner Max McNeill had a share in two winners on the card thanks to Twin Power and Inthewaterside, and for good measure bagged a Grade 1 third with Thunder Rock in the Scilly Isles.

"If Carlsberg did days, this would be one of them," said McNeill. "I over celebrated but it's hard and when you have a day like today you have to enjoy it."

Both 2m4f novices' handicap hurdle winner Twin Power and bumper scorer Inthewaterside are trained by Paul Nicholls, who was only one off matching last Saturday's treble at Cheltenham.

He said: "We'll find another handicap for Twin Power and then go novice chasing with him next season. That's when you'll see him at his best. Inthewaterside is a lovely horse for next season and we've a lot of nice bumper horses coming through. Wrappedupinmay, who finished third, is another one and there's plenty to look forward to."

Sign up to receive The Ante-Postman, Robbie Wilders' top weekly newsletter. Get weekend tips, festival fancies and big-race selections delivered straight to your inbox.