Racing: State Of Play (10-1) landed the biggest success of trainer Evan Williams and jockey Paul Moloney's careers with a scintillating performance in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury.
The 16-runner field was taken along by Preacher Boy and Idle Talk for the first circuit, but Moloney was never too far from the pace on the six-year-old.
Vodka Bleu looked a huge danger before his stamina ran out as a fantastic leap at the third-last saw State Of Play hit the front for the first time. He stayed on powerfully to land the spoils by four lengths from Juveigneur (12-1), with Preacher Boy and Omni Cosmo Touch filling the minor placings.
Earlier Ruby Walsh and trainer Paul Nicholls had dominated proceedings, landing the opening three races. Silverburn was first in the winners enclosure, the 1-2 chance proving too resolute for Tagula Blue in the BGC Novices' Hurdle.
As the morning rain abated, the big Newbury crowd saw Walsh push out Denman's brother to stay on too strongly for his rival and score by two lengths as the pair pulled 14 lengths clear of Albinus.
Nicholls and Walsh completed a double when 13-8 favourite 13-8 Opera Mundi ran right away with the Allied Irish Bank (GB) Novices' Handicap Chase. Walsh sent the four-year-old to the front three out and from that point it became a one-horse race as the combination pulled 22 lengths and two clear off Petitjean and Black Hills.
And their domination of the meeting continued when Saintsaire proved a length and three-quarters and a length and a quarter too strong for Bambi De L'Orme and Whispered Secret in the UK Hygiene Handicap Chase.
Walsh always had early pacesetters Locksmith and Bambi De L'Orme in his sights and was already in control when Saintsaire dived left at the final fence.