Nightingale On Target In Pendil

The Nightingale - cut above rivals.

Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh struck as The Nightingale (4-6 favourite) made no mistake in the Racing Post Weekender Pendil Novices' Chase.

An easy winner on his chasing debut, he barely put a foot wrong in the Grade Two event.

Nicholls was winning the race for the fifth consecutive year and few can have been as trouble-free as this.

Othermix tried to stretch the favourite down the back straight but could not get him off the bridle and trailed in 18 lengths behind.

Walsh said: "He jumped well. I don't know which race he'd run in at Cheltenham, neither the Arkle or the RSA are easy touches and I've got good rides in both at the minute."

The winner was cut to 16-1 from 33s for the RSA Chase by William Hill. Sky Bet are 20-1.

Ladbrokes cut the gelding to 16-1 from 25s, while Paddy Power go 12-1 from 25s and Victor Chandler 14-1 from 25-1.

After his charge had given a superb exhibition of jumping in the popular colours of Graham Roach, Nicholls said: "He won't be running in the Arkle, but the RSA is definitely a possibility - you couldn't ask for more the way he jumped today.

"I haven't done very much with him since his Fontwell win and I think he's well capable of a good run at Cheltenham.

"If he doesn't happen to go there he will run in the two-and-a-half-mile novice chase at Aintree."