'We didn't know if he'd stay - I'd say we know now' - Kempton target singled out for Salver after impressive Graded success

Kempton at Christmas will be next on Salver's agenda after the five-year-old's runaway victory in the Grade 2 Esher Novices' Chase.

The gelding was a Graded winner over hurdles and added a first chase success to his record when sweeping past Doyen Quest at the second last fence and sauntering to a 12-length victory under Caoilin Quinn.

Trained by Gary and Josh Moore, Salver is the first horse owned outright by former syndicate member Keith Graves and the Kingston-based businessman can dream big after the 6-4 favourite flew home on his first try over three miles.

"That was a delight, and it's 100 per cent thanks to Josh and Gary," Graves said. "It's really great. Salver ran in some good hurdle races but we didn't know if he'd stay. I'd say we know now."

The dominant success could tee up Salver for a tilt at Grade 1 company, with the Kauto Star Novices' Chase on Boxing Day under consideration. Paddy Power also introduced him at 33-1 for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

"We expected Doyen Quest would go out ahead and that made Salver jump better," Josh Moore said. "It brought the best out of him and he excelled when he got on to the softer part of the track.

"The obvious target would be Boxing Day at Kempton. If there's slow-enough ground you'd think to go there, but maybe over this trip the ground doesn't come into it as much. Caoilin said he was better the more pressure he put on, so he's a lovely horse to have."

Macktoad (left): another impressive winner for the Moore teamCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The success formed part of a treble for Quinn and the Moores as newcomer Macktoad proved a cut above the rest in the 2m juvenile hurdle before Across Earth landed the concluding 2m handicap hurdle.

Macktoad won his sole start at Vichy in May and built on that success by readily seeing off the Paul Nicholls-trained Pourquoi Pas Papa, a performance which earned him a quote of 16-1 for the Triumph Hurdle in March.

"What’s he's beaten, no one knows, but I did like that," Gary Moore said of the three-year-old. "He won on good to soft in France and he hasn't got a rounded action, so I wasn't sure whether he went on soft or not.

"I don't know what we'll do now, we'll get him home first and then make a plan. We could look for an introductory hurdle but there's the Finale [at Chepstow on December 27] to consider too. He isn't too bad at all."

Another for Greatrex

There will not be many more exuberant winners at Sandown this winter than Keep Running, who bounded home in the 1m7½f handicap chase.

The seven-year-old jumped for fun under James Bowen and did not let a shuddering mistake at the sixth fence knock his stride, producing bold leaps at the final two fences to win by 18 lengths.

Keep Running in unstoppable form when winning under James BowenCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"He's a little fireball," said his trainer Warren Greatrex, who was enjoying his third consecutive win after a double on Thursday.

"He's a handful at home, you have to do everything on his terms. I went to saddle him at Punchestown last season and he nearly killed me saddling him, so we have to manage him, but when he's in this sort of form he's some horse.

"Even though he made a hole in one fence today it didn't knock his confidence at all. The handicapper's going to have his say now but he's still a young horse without many miles on the clock. He could go a lot higher yet."

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