Royale Pagaille – winner of the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase Venetia Williams, speaking away from the track, said:

“I’m delighted. He has done everything I hoped he might do. With the second favourite (Sam Brown) it was possibly not the strongest Peter Marsh but you have to be delighted with the way he has done it.

“We’ve kept him in handicap company for his last two starts and it was not so much about the mark he was given - as he was always going to carry top weight in a handicap wherever he went - it was more the point of who was going to show up on the day to take him on.

“When the second favourite came out you always hope they will win in that manner and he has done the job very nicely.

“He is actually a third season novice chaser. I bought him at the Arqana Autumn Sales in 2018 and it was a while before we ran him as we didn’t do anything with him the first season we had him, then last season he had a couple of runs but he didn’t set the world alight.

“I hoped he would turn out like this but part of training racehorses is fulfilling hopes and he has very much done that, but at the same time there are plenty that haven’t.”

Asked about potential plans for the Cheltenham Festival, Williams added:

“I’m leaning towards having a conversation with the owner and that’s all I can say at the moment. You would have to say that the Marsh and the National Hunt Chase are the least likely of the options but until I discuss it with the owner all options are still open.”

Silver Hallmark – winner of the Read Nicky Henderson’s Unibet Blog Novices’ Chase Fergal O’Brien, speaking away from the track, said:

“He was very good and I was really pleased with him as that was only the fifth run of his life. He did it the hard way from the front and it is hard to make it in that grade. Adam Wedge was really pleased with him.

“He handled the ground but he didn’t like it that much. We didn’t enter him in any of the novice races at Cheltenham as we felt he was probably not quite experienced enough. I’d say that the Scilly Isles will come too quick and we will probably have to look for something else.

“It would be lovely to think we could get one more run in and then potentially take him to Aintree if it was wet for the Manifesto. I think two and a half is his trip but in time he will get three miles. He is a very straightforward horse.”

Faivoir – winner of the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle Dan Skelton, speaking away from the track, said:

“We were talking about how to ride him this morning and he needs everything to go really smoothly so that’s why he was handy.

“I thought the long straights there would suit him and Bridget gave him a beautiful ride. I’m delighted, especially after the terrible weekend we had last weekend.

“Weirdly all the same people that were involved with Mohaayed are involved with Faivoir as Gemma Double who looked after Mohaayed looks after Faivoir.

“I don’t think we will go for the Betfair Hurdle. I think he has got the class to win it but I don’t think having 20 runners around him suits him. There would be people trying to nick his position and he could easily get shuffled back and not be where he wants to be.

“The race that jumps out to my mind is the Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso just before Cheltenham. He would also get an entry in the Morebattle Hurdle up there and we would consider that as well. In reality on better ground he wants two and a half miles and he will almost certainly be going novice chasing next season.”

Navajo Pass – winner of The New One Unibet Hurdle Donald McCain, who was at Haydock to watch his horse beat Buveur D’Air, said:

“He is going to be a real smart horse. This season is a season where they get lost a bit as it is his first season out of juveniles and it is tough. We’ve been going to handicaps with huge weights and taking them on. If you look today he is taking on two horses that are twice his age and it is hard.

“We knew he was fit, we knew he jumped and we knew he was in good nick after winning up at Musselburgh. I spoke to Tim and he said we will go and take a punt and see. If they float past us then fine but we will make it a test and see what happens.

“You are counting on Buveur D’Air needing the run and bad old Haydock ground but he will be a talented horse in time. We are not daft enough not to think it possibly wasn’t the most important day for them. I know for Ballyandy it might have been but to get the old horse back after injury is a big effort, but we are just thrilled.

“We went to Musselburgh to try and win a race with him and we came here as before the Festivals there was no where to go at all.”

Assessing future plans McCain favours stepping Navajo Pass back up to Grade One in the Aintree Hurdle opposed to the Champion Hurdle at the Festival, which he would need supplementing for.

He added: “I don’t think he has the natural speed for a Champion Hurdle. Twelve months down the line he might get quicker but I will speak to Tim. First thoughts were he would probably be more suited to Aintree, if anywhere. I know Tim likes Aintree and we love Aintree but we will just enjoy today for now. He is next year’s horse and I can’t emphasise that enough.”