Devon-based trainer Victor Dartnall saddled his second winner in as many days when Pocket Too rallied back past Firebird Flyer to land the Discount Tyres Handicap Hurdle over three miles at Chepstow Racecourse.

The trainer said: "Pocket Too is thoroughly game and loves the mud and this course, as he won here on the flat too.

"The likelihood is he'll go chasing at some stage. It's been well documented that we had problems at home with the gallop being washed away more than once over the very wet summer but hopefully we are now back on track.

"The horses are running better than they were." Another trainer making up for a sluggish start is Emma Lavelle, whose Shotgun Paddy stamped himself a nice individual for the future when taking the 2m4f maiden hurdle from the Paul Nicholls-trained Sin Bin.

Lavelle said: "Let's hope we have turned that all important corner as all the horses are beginning to run well after a slow start when they were just not finishing their races."

Of Shotgun Paddy she added: "He jumped brilliantly and is as tough as nails, but he was not doing a lot in front so hopefully that means there is more to come. He won't have any problems in getting three miles but he needs soft ground."

Jockey Ruby Walsh was happy with the performance of Sin Bin in second, thinking he ran quite green but acquitting himself well.

He was less happy with his performance in the earlier two-mile maiden hurdle on board Roger Beantown, also trained by Paul Nicholls, where he was once again in the runner-up spot.

He stayed on well but just failed to peg back the Philip Hobbs-trained Orabora, after leaving Roger Beantown too much to do in the home straight. He is definitely one to keep on the right side of in future events though.

One of Victor Dartnall's West Country neighbours, Nigel Hawke, got himself off the 'cold' trainers list when Anay Turge landed the 2m1/2f handicap chase. It was Hawke's first winner for 225 days. He said: "We were always going to drop him in as there was plenty of pace in the race, and it panned out for him. He's in at Ffos Las on Sunday and might well take his chance."

Although the Crossed Fingers Partnership was out of luck with Kellystown Lad and Sophonie earlier on the card, the syndicate gained compensation when Desperate Dex put his younger rivals in the shade in the 3m handicap chase. Trainer Tom George said: "At 12 years old he is hardly getting any better, but he is enjoying himself and galloped them into submission."