Nicky Henderson showed that he has his horses in sparkling form as the Cheltenham Festival approaches with a 44-1 double at Newbury on Saturday.
Mick Fitzgerald, whose Festival rides include Tote Gold Cup favourite See More Business, rode both Henderson winners - Lakefield Leader in the Mitsubishi Newbury Handicap Hurdle and Zabari in the Levy Board Novices' Handicap Hurdle.
The former thrilled his owners, the 74-strong Newbury Racecourse Owners Group with an emphatic eight-length victory over Wisley Wonder.
Having only his second race in two years, Lakefield Leader cruised home at the rewarding odds of 13-2 and pleased Henderson in the process.
'He's had his problems and one is always nervous when a horse is having his second run back but we are very pleased,' said the trainer.
Zabari was also coming back from a long lay off. Formerly with Graham Thorner, Zabari is a recent addition to Henderson's yard and it was a welcome victory for owner Paul Orme.
'Mr Orme has been very patient with him and the horse has had a lot of time off with his legs,' said the trainer. 'I've only had him for a bit but I'm delighted for the owner.'
Venetia Williams confirmed Samakaan on course for the Grand Annual Challenge Cup at Cheltenham after the seven-year-old maintained his unbeaten record over fences in fine style in the Tote 'totalbet.com' Novices' Chase.
The 2-5 favourite, the middle leg of a 30{-1 treble for jockey Norman Williamson, scored a facile one-and-a-three-quarter-length success over Virtuoso.
'That was a frightening starting price,' she said. 'I'm pleased with that, they went a good pace in the ground and we'll go for the Grand Annual now provided the weights go up.'
Dean Gallagher set a personal best score of 43 winners this season when the Jimmy Harris-trained Sudest took the www.thehorsesmouth.co.uk Handicap Hurdle at Doncaster.
But success did not come easy, and Gallagher and his mount had to pull out all the stops to get the better of Berlin Blue by three-quarters of a length.
Gallagher said: 'I am thrilled to bits. I could not be happier at the way things are going. I am riding for lots of different trainers and riding some very good horses - things are really picking up.
'I have some nice rides to look forward to at Cheltenham, Teaatral is favourite for the Coral Cup while a decision will be made next week whether Hors La Loi III will go for the Champion Hurdle or the Stayers' Hurdle.
'Redemption runs in the big race (Sunderland's Imperial Cup) at Sandown on Saturday and if all goes well he will try and complete the big double in the County Hurdle at the Festival.'
Gallagher won the County Hurdle four years ago on the Harris-trained Star Rage and the latter plans to run Renzo in this season's renewal, Carl Llewellyn having already been booked.
But Sudest is bound for Cheltenham too, as Harris explained: 'He will run in a two-mile-five-furlong handicap at Sandown next Friday.
'He will probably go up 7lb for winning and a bit more if he wins at Sandown but that will help him get in the Coral Cup.'
Inn At The Top defied top weight in good style under a patient ride from Robbie Supple in the Centaur Competitions Ltd 'One in a 100' Racing Challenge Chase (Showcase Handicap) and he is also off to Cheltenham.
Having his first run since being pulled up in the Murphy's Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November, Inn At The Top was getting Turner off the mark for the season.
He praised the work Supple had done on the eight-year-old at home, and added: 'Inn At the Top will go for the two-and-a-half mile handicap (Mildmay of Flete) as long as the ground is not soft - he has only 10st 6lb (plus 3lb penalty) so he won't know what's happening.'
