Sam strolls home

Sam Winner was hugely impressive in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham

French ace strikes for Paul Nicholls

The French import travelled with great purpose settled just off the pace by Noel Fehily and he could be called the winner at the second last where he went to the head of affairs.

He jumped the final hurdle in style and pulled easily clear on the run-in to score by 15 lengths from Grandouet with Plan A edging Horatio Caine for third.

Trainer Paul Nicholls said: "I like him an awful lot - he's a brilliant jumper.'' Fehily said: "He's a very nice horse - a strong, galloping type. "He made ground very easily and galloped all the way to the line. "I'd say he's entitled to be favourite for the Triumph Hurdle after that." Paddy Power shared Fehily's belief, and inserted Sam Winner as the 7-1 favourite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle back at Cheltenham next March. Nicholls added: "He's been an awesome jumper from day one and he's a sort we like because he'll make a chaser one day. "With horses like this you don't really know how good they are until they run, so I hadn't thought about anything after this. "It's quite possible he could come back here again, he wouldn't be the sort to run in a bog at Chepstow."