'One of the nicest we've had for a long time' - Paul Nicholls impressed after Kalif Du Berlais battles to Adonis win

There is a twinkle in Paul Nicholls' eye when he talks about Kalif Du Berlais, so no wonder he is keen to mind him and avoid the Cheltenham Festival following his victory in the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle.

Sponsored by Coral, the Grade 2 can be a trial for the festival's JCB Triumph Hurdle, but the Nicholls-trained Zarkandar was the last horse to do the double in 2011.

"He won't go to Cheltenham as he's had a hard race today," the champion trainer said after seeing the four-year-old, whose owners include Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and John Hales, deny Givemefive, who runs in the colours of Major-winning golfers Graeme McDowell and Brooks Koepka.

"If we run him again this season it will be at Aintree. He's won three from three and it wouldn't worry me if he didn't run again.

"He might have to go chasing next season. It never did Kauto Star, Master Minded or Clan Des Obeaux any harm going chasing at a young age, and this lad doesn't want to be over hurdles for too long."

There was a subsequent stewards' inquiry - the Harry Cobden-ridden winner interfered slightly with the second - but Nicholls was never worried about the result being overturned.

"I don't know whether we got the tactics right today," he added. "We thought we'd drop in if they went quick and they didn't go all that quick so it might have been better striding on, but it's done the horse good to dig deep. I'm thrilled with him and it's no mean feat giving horses like that 5lb.

"He's absolutely a smart prospect - one of the nicest we've had for a long time to go chasing."

Nicholls and Cobden also won the 2m4½f handicap chase with Golden Son. 

Wad camp quids in

Blow Your Wad produces a fine leapCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Blow Your Wad might have tested trainer Tom Lacey's training skills, but he clearly loves Kempton and made it three from three at the venue in the Pendil Novices' Chase, which was backed by Coral.

Ridden in the Grade 2 by Stan Sheppard, Blow Your Wad is owned by Ashley Head and Jerry Hinds, who said: "We don't have any fancy plans and will bypass Cheltenham. He likes a flat track and loves it here, which is why we came to this race.

"He's the best horse in Tom's yard, but he's been tricky to work out. He's quite quirky, but we've found the right track and right way round for him, so we'll keep doing that, although if we go to Aintree that's the other way round."

Lacey was absent and Hinds added: "He's had to go to Newcastle with another runner, so I joked to him that he obviously didn't fancy this lad! He said that wasn't the case, but he just needed to go with the other horse."

Gold moment for Quinn

Caoilin Quinn guides Mark Of Gold to victoryCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Harry Cobden appears in charge of the race to be champion jockey, but the tussle for the conditional crown is still pretty tight and Caoilin Quinn joined Bradley Harris on 26 winners, three behind Patrick Wadge, after landing the 2m5f handicap hurdle on Mark Of Gold.

It was the second year running the Gary Moore inmate was obliging in the race and Quinn, successful in the Welsh Grand National on the yard's Nassalam, said: "I schooled him yesterday and he was fresh and well, so I was confident he'd run well today.

"He jumped and travelled well and had the turn of foot to put it to bed. I think a smaller field suits him as he's the type of horse who doesn't like to be crowded. We were disappointed he fell in the Lanzarote last time because we thought he'd have gone close."

Mark Of Gold runs for a group of friends that includes Stevie Fisher, a former point-to-point rider and farrier who has had locked-in syndrome since suffering a stroke in 2014.

Sum adds up

Sam Thomas (left) and Sam Twiston-Davies are all smiles after Lump Sum's successCredit: Mark Cranham

Lump Sum gave notice he is a horse of talent by securing success in the Grade 2 Coral Dovecote Novices' Hurdle.

The Dai Walters-owned gelding is based with Sam Thomas, who holds him in high regard.

"I've maybe not had as many runners this season as I have in the past as we sold some, so perhaps I haven't got as much confidence as I should have going into races like that and I was bloody nervous this morning," the trainer said. 

"He's a smashing horse. We left him out of the novice hurdles at Cheltenham, although he's in some handicaps there and could still be well handicapped, but we'll see about what we do next."

Read these next:

'He'll be a Gold Cup horse next year' - Aintree next for I Am Maximus but Mullins already dreaming of Cheltenham 

'I don't get many chances in big races and the emotion takes over' - Ben Godfrey revels in Forward Plan success in Coral Trophy 

'I just need to win the Plate now!' - Eider joy for local lad Brian Ellison as he triumphs again with Anglers Crag 

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.