An undertaker during the week, a Cheltenham winner on Sunday - trainer on the up unearths Supreme contender

Paul Robson, who splits his time between training racehorses and managing a funeral directors, celebrated a first winner at Cheltenham when Cannock Park landed the 2m½f maiden hurdle.

Robson said he had purposely avoided running the bumper winner over hurdles to ensure he could run in the Sunday opener and the plan was executed to perfection when Craig Nichol, who was also recording a Cheltenham breakthrough, guided the five-year-old to a neck victory over Innatendue.

The trainer, who is based in Spittal-on-Rule in the Scottish Borders, was recording his 12th and most significant winner, having amassed a tally of 89 winners in his riding career before it was cut short by injury in 2005. He left the sport to run the family's funeral business but returned in his new role in March 2020 and is enjoying an excellent season, partly helped by Henrietta Knight sourcing some of his talent.

Cannock Park: impressive winner at Cheltenham on SundayCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"The funeral business is a special business to be in just like this one," said the trainer, who is based nearly 300 miles from the home of jump racing. "This was great and he's done it really well.

"I've been dreaming about this race, it's just about having the balls to come and do it. It's easy to stay up north and not come south, but I'm making a conscious effort to travel. We've had winners at Leicester and Bangor and everywhere, we're not scared to run them down south. I want to be everywhere, I'll be down here a lot.

"We can dream about the Supreme now and it will be interesting to watch this form work out. He does everything very easily at home and I do a lot of the riding myself to keep a lid on him. It's all about keeping him level-headed. He just needs to grow up a bit."

Course breakthrough

Newmarket trainer Ben Brookhouse enjoyed his first Cheltenham winner when Brechin Castle landed the Listed 2m½f bumper under Jack Quinlan.

The five-year-old was sent off 9-4 to follow up an easy Sedgefield win in October and finished smartly in the final two furlongs to defeat Fire Flyer.

“He's a dude," said Brookhouse, who was training the winner for father Roger. "Dad loves Cheltenham and to get a winner here for him is great. We'll be running a lot of horses for him here hopefully, but this lad is the best of them by a long way.”

Connections are considering aiming him at the major bumpers at the spring festivals, including the Champion Bumper at the festival, for which he is 25-1 with bet365.

Repeat tactics

Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden stole the show with Stage Star in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday and they were on the scoresheet again with Ginny's Destiny in the 2m4f novice handicap chase. 

The seven-year-old made all to record a first win since joining the stable from Tom Lacey at the start of the season.

Nicholls said: "I said [to Harry] do what you did on Saturday. Just keep saving in front as he'll jump well and he's fit. That was beautiful. He is a relatively lightly-raced horse as well so there's a lot of improvement to come.

“We might run him in a better race, we'll see. He'll get three miles in time as he gallops all day. I’d say he'll run in some good handicaps."

Cromwell strikes again

Gavin Cromwell continued his outstanding record at Cheltenham this season when Malina Girl made it five in the 3m3½f handicap chase.

The six-year-old bounced back to form to thrash a decent field including placed Cloudy Glen and Guetapan Collonges and was introduced at 50-1 for the Grand National by Betfair Sportsbook.

Read more . . .

'I'm not counting my chickens at that point, I'm just praying. He carried me over the line with him' 

Boss of Cheltenham Gold Cup sponsor Boodles says affordability checks would be an 'absolute disaster' 

Racing Post Members' Club: 50% off your first three months 

Do you want £400+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more