Murphy's Rambo T joins illustrious roll of honour as he lands race won by Stage Star and Iroko to get off mark over fences

The feature Stan Mellor Memorial Beginners’ Chase was won by subsequent Grade 1 performers Stage Star in 2022 and Iroko last year, when it was run as a novice chase, and it was Rambo T who fared best this time in the new race conditions under Sean Bowen.

The Olly Murphy-trained seven-year-old went one better than last month’s chase debut at Uttoxeter, when he was beaten a short head by the smart Rare Edition, to score by a length and a quarter from Dan Skelton’s Skycutter.

Kintail, who like the runner-up was having his first start over fences, was last of three in the £18,000 event that was restricted to runners who had never won a chase, unlike previous iterations.

After his sole representative of the day obliged, Murphy, who also enjoyed three winners on Monday, said: “I don’t think he liked making the running to be honest. 

“Uttoxeter, two miles is a lovely place to get a horse started. He got a nice bit of experience that day and we got beat, but that stood him in good stead.

“He’s been a real fun horse for connections and hopefully he’ll carry on improving.” 

Jumps first for Masar 

Dan Skelton had earlier enjoyed success with 33-1 shot Flowering, who made a successful hurdles debut in the opening juvenile maiden.

Tristan Durrell had only got off the mark on his 46th ride of the season at Plumpton on Monday, and he made it two wins from as many mounts when steering the three-year-old to a perfect start for her new yard.

The daughter of Masar was a first jumps winner in Britain for the 2018 Derby winner and another advertisement for Megan Nicholls, who sourced Harry Derham’s first Cheltenham winner in Givemefive and also bought Flowering with Skelton for 15,000gns in May.

“Meg’s doing all right,” said Skelton, whose filly had been winless in ten starts on the Flat for Charlie Johnston.

“We sort of had her ready to go in the summer and then she fell apart on us, and the best thing we did was just give her a bit of time."

Skelton’s Asian Star, sent off at significantly shorter odds of 1-2 in the following 2m3f novice hurdle, managed only second to the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Bredon Hill.

Twiston-Davies was then himself denied a double when Touchwoodexpress chased home Jony Max in the 3m1½f handicap chase.

Hot Hales

Bryan Carver made it four wins from his last eight rides when helping continue Alex Hales’s fine form with Ez Tiger's victory in the 2m handicap hurdle.

Hales is already just two away from matching last season’s tally of 13 winners, and Carver said: “I try to get into Alex’s as much as I can and he’s very good to me.

“They’re all running well and the ones that aren’t winning are just knocking on the door, too, so long may it continue.”

Carver’s next mount, Dorrells Pierji, was eighth in the 2m5f handicap hurdle won by Getalead, who made it three out of three at the track when justifying 2-1 favouritism under Gearoid Harney.

Read this next:

Heavyweight entries revealed for King George VI Chase and Betfair Chase - but two notable big guns missing from Kempton 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.