Ian Popham landed the feature race on the first day of the April Meeting at Cheltenham today aboard Martin Keighley's stable star Champion Court.
Riding the high-class chaser for the first time yesterday, the 23-year-old grabbed his opportunity in style by powering him to victory in the Macmillan Cancer Support Silver Trophy by three quarters of a length.
Popham: "I was delighted when Martin said I was riding the horse but I tried not to put myself under extra pressure and treated it the same as any other race."
Sean Quinlan, who lives near Temple Guiting, gained his first Cheltenham success aboard Party Rock – nicknamed DJ by trainer Jennie Candlish – in the Auriga Network Handicap Hurdle.
"It feels brilliant," said Quinlan. "I've had a couple of seconds here and I thought it was never going to happen, but you need the horses."
Nigel Twiston-Davies couldn't believe his eventual winner Ackertac was the outsider of the four runners in the Weatherite Novices' Chase.
Best in at the weights according to the official handicap, Ackertac won comfortably under the Guiting Power's son Sam.
Champion trainer-elect Nicky Henderson plans to send Whisper over fences next season after he led near the finish to win the CITIPOST Novices' Hurdle.
Ridden confidently by Barry Geraghty, he bounced back from defeat at Sandown to gain his fourth success from his past six races.
Henderson said: "He's done well to come back from a hard race at Sandown – the ground was horrible that day. Andrew Tinkler has ridden him a lot and he's always liked him."
Top Dancer waltzed to victory for trainer Ben Case in the Rundle and Co Handicap Chase over three and half miles, staying on powerfully under Daryl Jacob.
Tewkesbury-based jockey Aidan Coleman enjoyed the easiest success of the day aboard Lower Hope Dandy in the Messier-Bugatti-Dowty Novices' Handicap Hurdle, while Tom Cannon gained a narrow victory on Starluck in the sportinglife.com Pony Racing Authority Graduates Handicap Hurdle.
