Rest of Chepstow report: Georgina Browne enjoyed her biggest success in her three years with a licence when she saddled Phar Bleu to win the At The Races Red Button Betting Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow yesterday.
Tony McCoy's mount was in charge all the way down the straight in the £50,000 Grade One contest and the 9 to 1 shot did not look like getting caught on the heavy ground.
Biscar Two finished strongly but all too late and was a length and a quarter adrift at the line.
The winner was introduced at 14 to 1 by Ladbrokes for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Miss Browne admitted: "I was up in one of the boxes and was lobbing glasses around the place at the finish because I just couldn't believe it.
"I suppose he could go for the Triumph but I do think he'll progress and jump a fence even as a four-year-old and that will be his game before too long.
"I shall give him a break now and whatever happens he won't run on fast ground."
Cerium, the heavily backed 5 to 4 favourite, lost his place after meeting traffic problems on the home turn and trailed in ninth.
Later in the afternoon, Paul Nicholls admitted that he had not been happy with Cerium and he said: "He coughed on each of the two days before the race but when my vet Brian Eagles took a test yesterday it came back spot-on, although I do now wish I hadn't run him."
The rest of the day largely belonged to Nicholls and jockey Ruby Walsh, for as well as winning the feature Coral Welsh National with Silver Birch they went on to complete a treble worth more than 41 to 1 with Almost Broke and Le Passing.
Almost Broke was having only the sixth race of his life when landing the Ray And Margaret Horton Memorial Handicap Chase by three lengths from Wain Mountain.
The pair pulled clear over the last couple of fences but Walsh always looked to be holding all the aces.
Afterwards, Nicholls enthused: "He had a nice weight and I knew he would go in the ground.
"The nice thing is both his wins have been in handicaps and we can now go down the novice route if we want."
Le Passing took the Pontin's Themed Breaks Beginners' Chase in the style of a horse to follow, revelling in the testing ground he came clear to beat Captain Corelli by 10 lengths.
Nicholls emphasised that his charge was a lot happier on this galloping track and said: "We had about half a dozen coughing and the team haven't hit the jackpot until now.
"This horse was just too weak last year and wasn't getting home but now he's strengthened and is much more the finished article."
Followers of the local Craig Roberts stable had plenty to cheer about as the trainer posted his second career double with Miss Fahrenheit in the Pontin's Holidays Novices' Hurdle and Victory Gunner in the At The Races Happy New Year Handicap Hurdle.
Both were ridden by the promising conditional Lee Stephens and Roberts said: "Unfortunately Miss Fahrenheit came back with a nasty cut on her hind leg and will be out in the field for a week."
The mare prevented what would have been a four-timer for Nicholls and Walsh by short-heading Blushing Bull.
Victory Gunner showed his liking for the course by romping to a 25-length success over Carlys Quest.
Roberts added: "The softer the better for him. He's a lot stronger this year and will be going over fences next season."
The concluding Pontin's Family Holidays Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race went to The Mick Weston and Richard Johnson.
Trained by Richard Phillips, the five-year-old proved 15 lengths too strong under a terrific ride for Victom's Chance with the field strung out over three furlongs at the finish.
