"It's unfortunate for Mark but I ride as first jockey for Lucy (Wadham) and I won on Laskari the last time so fair's fair," said Elsworth.

The Racing Post Chase at Kempton in February is a possible target for Laskari (4-1) following his victory in the Doncaster Racecourse Sponsorship Club Handicap Chase.

Tell Henry made a brave attempt to lead all the way on the stamina-sapping ground, but he was joined at the second last by Laskari, who had enough in the tank to win by three and a quarter lengths. Our Jasper was a similar distance away in third.

"It was great perseverance by horse and jockey on ground that isn't his best. We got away with it because this is Doncaster rather than a sticky soft," said trainer Paul Webber.

"He'll have a break for four or five weeks and freshen up after that. He's a tough customer.

"The Racing Post Chase at Kempton is the race that might come to mind. It's right-handed and the ground there is better than most places and I think he will get three miles on decent ground."

Victorias Groom (4-1) got the better of a scrap with Smugglers Bay by a length in a thrilling finish to the ESG Handicap Hurdle.

"He's a cracking horse, but he's had a lot of pelvic problems," said trainer Lucy Wadham.

"We wanted to give him a run over hurdles to give him confidence with his jumping. Dominic said he was brilliant so he may well go back chasing now."

Bradburne made the most of his only ride to score on Pop (4-1) in the crownhotel-bawtry.com Beginners' Chase.

He brought Henry Daly's charge with a well-timed challenge to jump into the lead three out and beat Greenbridge by five lengths with Otage de Brion eight lengths away in third.

The winner was making amends for a fall when going well on his fencing bow at Ludlow.

"Pop has done it well as he really wants good going. I went wide the whole way to get the best of the ground," said Bradburne.

Wilson Renwick missed out on a double after partnering Benfleet Boy (4-1) to victory in division one of the Konica Minolta (East) Novices' Hurdle.

He was stood down for the rest of the day after banging his knee when making all on Brendan Powell's four-year-old and winning by nine lengths from The Panama Kid.

"He's got some screws in his knee from when he was a two-year-old with Brian Meehan, but he loves jumping and seems to go on most ground," said Powell.

Dougie Costello, who was banned for two days (December 28 and 30) for using his whip with excessive frequency on Smugglers Bay, proved an able deputy for Renwick on Merigo.

The 7-1 chance got back up after being headed by Standin Obligation to land the Betdaq The Betting Exchange Handicap Chase by four lengths.

"Ray Green (owner) was due to come here but he has flu and stayed in London," said trainer Andrew Parker.

"All he does is jump and stay. If it's sloppy like it was here he can get through it, but tacky ground ties him in knots.

"I was pleased when the other horse went past him as it gives him a target.

"We'll probably aim him at the Scottish National with a couple of options in between."

Division two of the novice hurdle went to the Alan King-trained Enfant de Lune (5-2), who floored Paul Nicholls' favourite Thundering Star.

Sam Thomas tried to draw the sting from his rivals on South African import Thundering Star, who was second at Taunton on Thursday, but his jumping let him down.

Challenging on the opposite side of the course in the hands of Wayne Hutchinson, Enfant de Lune (5-2) kept on strongly to hold his main rival by a length and three-quarters. The pair were a distance ahead of the third, Kingsben.

"They have gone a good gallop on the ground, it's suited me and he's handled the conditions well," said Hutchinson.

"It rode a nice race, considering there were only two horses in it."

Tom Tate's Charlie Crab (12-1) denied Duke of Touraine by half a length in a tight finish to the Betdaq In Running At 1% Handicap Hurdle.

"He gets every bit of three miles so the ground helped over this two and so did his stamina. He's very game," said jockey Keith Mercer.