Kingsmark earned a 14-1 quote from the Tote for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup in two weeks` time with an impressive victory in the Edward Hanmer Memorial Chase at Haydock Park today.
Conditional jockey David Dennis, claiming a valuable 5lb, held the grey up in touch as Tremallt cut out the running at a good clip on the very testing going.
The leader survived a blunder down the back for the last time as Soldat, Tresor De Mai and Kingsmark took closer order.
Turning for home none was going better than Martin Todhunter`s 7-1 chance, who took control at the last before drawing easily clear to score by 10 lengths from Tresor De Mai with Soldat nine lengths back in third.
Kingsmark has incurred a 4lb penalty for the Newbury race and Todhunter, enjoying his biggest success in today`s #42,000 contest, said: 'We`ll have to see what Mr Simpson (owner Robert Ogden`s racing manager) says about the Hennessy.
'He`s progressing and handles the ground. He was in here off a nice weight. The lad has claimed 5lb which put him on 10st 6lb.'
Kingsmark was taking his tally to three out of three for the season.
Todhunter went on: 'We went low-key with him and Mick Fitzgerald gave him beautiful rides at Kelso and Market Rasen. He gained confidence.
'He never runs a bad race and his jumping has improved with confidence.'
Dennis, 22, added: 'He`s a class act. He got under the last ditch and lost five lengths but he`s come back on the bit and got there very easily. I just didn`t want to hit the front too soon.'
The young rider`s father Walter won the Hennessy in 1996 with Coome Hill and the young jockey joked: 'We`ll have to keep Mr Fitzgerald out of the way.'
The Last Fling, who won the Edward Hanmer last year, came home in sixth place.
'I was delighted with him,' said the 10-year-old`s trainer Sue Smith. 'He`ll come on a bundle for the run.'
Mrs Smith`s luck soon changed as My Baton made a winning debut over timber in the MTB Novices` Hurdle.
'He`s a super prospect,' added the Bingley trainer. 'We`ll keep him to hurdles for now but he`ll make a chaser one day.'
Ferdy Murphy has ambitious plans for Fornaught Alliance, the one-length winner of the Harvey Jones Novices` Handicap Chase over two miles and six furlongs.
The Middleham trainer said: 'I knew he`d stay. We bought him to go to the Czech Republic for the Velka Pardubicka. He just needs a run over three miles and he`s qualified for that _ he`ll go there next year.'
Jonjo O`Neill`s run of good form continued when the 11-10 favourite Mini Sensation comfortably landed the Kay Ell Jay Handicap Hurdle by four lenghs from Springfield Scally.
Mini Sensation was giving the Penrith trainer his 35th success of the season with only Martin Pipe and Philip Hobbs having sent out more winners this term.
