Winter Garden emerged as a candidate for the Cheltenham Festival when storming home by 12 lengths at Down Royal yesterday. Formerly trained on the Flat by Luca Cumani at Newmarket, Winter Garden always had the second division of the Executive Marquees Maiden Hurdle under control and took the lead two hurdles from home to go clear approaching the last.

Successful rider Barry Geraghty was partnering his 14th winner of the season.

"Winter Garden will go to Cheltenham for either the Supreme Novices' Hurdle or the SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle," said winning trainer Noel Meade.

"I bought him at the October sales at Newmarket, for he was highly rated on the Flat and to be honest I thought he was a certainty today as he was working out of his skin at home. My only worry was the heavy going."

Winter Garden, who is owned by Saeed Manana, will probably run at Leopardstown in February before a decision is made regarding his Cheltenham target.

Meade later completed a double in the Precision Fabrications Ltd Handicap Chase when the Donal Bromley-ridden The Fox Inn was prominent throughout to beat Slavica by 15 lengths.

Charlie Swan celebrated his 31st birthday by landing his 12th winner as a trainer when Herr Leutnant just got up to short head Change The Script in the Governors Stand Handicap Hurdle. "That's my first win as a trainer at this track," said Swan, "although I've had plenty of winners as a jockey. This horse showed a lot at home and he will probably run again in another handicap hurdle."

Broguestown Breeze survived a stewards' inquiry into possible interference close home in the EBF Novice Chase when holding off Tarthooth by a neck.