Court Minstrel lands Silver Trophy at Chepstow

Court Minstrel defied joint-top weight to run out a ready winner of the totepool Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow.

Trained by Evan Williams, Court Minstrel was saddled with the steadier of 11st 12lb but he benefited from an excellent ride from Paul Moloney in the Grade Three heat.

Rons Dream and The Tourard Man cut out much of the early running but Moloney was happy to settle towards the rear of the field and bide his time.

Rock The Kasbah and Hurricane Hollow fought it out on the run to the final flight, but Court Minstrel, winner of the 2013 Scottish Champion Hurdle, travelled supremely well on their heels and Moloney kicked on after the last.

Court Minstrel (40-1) found plenty on the run to the line, eventually pulling two lengths clear at the line, with Rock The Kasbah second and Hurricane Hollow a further two and a quarter lengths back in third.

Court Minstrel finished a creditable fifth in the Arkle at Cheltenham in March but after finishing fourth in Grade One company at Aintree, he flopped on his final start of the season at Sandown.

Williams was eager to get him back into action and was pleased to see him progress after a couple of moderate efforts this summer.

He told At The Races: "He's always been a very good horse. His run in the Arkle was exceptional and his run in Aintree was very good.

"He had a tough time over fences in the spring and we turned him out and he looked particularly poor after three weeks and I asked Mr and Mrs Davies (owners) if I could get him in and run him in a few of the better hurdle races in the summer.

"He took a couple of runs to get going, he's just a lovely little horse."

Williams and Moloney were completing a double after Tea In Transvaal had earlier claimed the Weatherbys Hamilton Hurdle, just holding off a Grade One-placed runner in Karezak.

He added: "She's very genuine but she's a difficult filly to train. It's a tough place to come as you know all the big guns are coming out."

Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville also hit the mark twice with Altior (5-6 favourite) in the toteplacepot Racing's Favourite Bet 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle and Cocktails At Dawn (6-1) in the totescoop6 Play For Big Money Today Novices' Chase, in which the well-regarded Blaklion could finish only fourth.

Jamie Moore was banned for eight days (October 24-31) after his mount, Dear Lottie, fell at the last when tailed off in the totescoop6 Results At totepoolliveinfo.com Mares' Novices' Hurdle.