'He's a nice prospect' - Alan King delighted by Menaggio after winning start over fences

Bigger handicaps could be on the agenda for Menaggio after he waltzed to a chase debut success in the 2m3½f Nick Embiricos Memorial Handicap Chase.

The race, named in honour of the owner of the 1981 Grand National hero Aldaniti, was the highlight of the Bob Champion Cancer Trust day and the five-year-old picked off front-running War Lord to win for Alan King and Tom Cannon.

Menaggio had to be hard ridden to keep up with the leader turning in, but he found plenty to scoot nine lengths clear to win for just the second time.

King said: "I think he was very good. He was a bit long at the first ditch but on the whole I was delighted with his jumping and he saw it out well.

"I hadn't really looked beyond this race. We just wanted to get him started. We'll sit down and have a think but he's a nice prospect and he'll get further. I think he'd get three [miles] but we're not in a rush to get there. That was a sharp as he wants there. Hopefully, he's progressing."

The Gillards double up

Father-son combo Mark and Fergus Gillard enjoyed a 155-1 double with victories for Clinton Lane and Kilcummin. The former took advantage of a disappointing run from the odds-on Roman Roy to take the 2m novice hurdle before Kilcummin landed the 2m handicap hurdle.

Despite Roman Roy's defeat, Paul Nicholls had some compensation when Touquet overcame greenness to storm seven lengths clear in the other division of the 2m novice hurdle.

Read this next:

'Wincanton is the obvious target and then go chasing after that' - grand plans for Rubaud after repeat Kempton win 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.