Despite being infamous for causing Ruby Walsh to need his spleen removing after a fall at Cheltenham in November, Pride of Dulcote now has three victories to his name and remains the ante-post favourite for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

"It's nice to be paid for a schooling round," said Nicholls. "It was a good job and he's off for the Albert Bartlett in six weeks' time.

"He had little issues with his jumping but that will not have done him any harm.

"It's disappointing there were so few runners - the ground is very testing - and the handicapper has done him no favours rating him 155, which is just below my Champion Hurdle horse Celestial Halo."

Nick Williams is not short of top-notch youngsters with Diamond Harry and Reve de Sivola in his Devon stable and he clearly thinks a bit of debutant James de Vassey, who was backed into 11-4 before winning the Wincanton Golf Course Novices' Hurdle in attractive style.

"He was hopeless when I first got him but he has a lot of potential," said Williams.

"My son Chester told me off for not entering him at Cheltenham but he's too green for that. With more practice I think he'll be a serious horse to jump fences."

Ellen Tilley (5-1) made her own successful bow over timber with a battling effort in the EBF Mares' "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle.

No records will have been broken as the small field dawdled for the first circuit on the heavy Somerset ground and Ellen Tilly eventually drew three lengths clear in the home straight.

"It might have been the slowest ever two mile and six race run at Wincanton," joked trainer Alan King, whose Delays Expected was third.

"The winner is a grand little filly. I just need to check the rules to see if she needs three runs to go for the mares' final at Newbury - I can't get two more into her now though."

A masterful Tony McCoy closed to within two of his 3,000th jump winner aboard Stradbrook (3-1 favourite) in the Bruton Handicap Hurdle.

McCoy has long outgrown the days he would have been qualified to team up with Synchronised (5-1) in the Somerset Community Foundation Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.

It was therefore up to Richard McLernon to make it a double for JP McManus and Jonjo O'Neill and he was able to oblige very easily despite making a complete hash of the final flight.

Seamus Mullins' 66-1 shot Roman Conquest was able to strike at the first time of asking in the Wincanton Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, finishing a neck ahead of King's more experienced 15-8 favourite Whistlejacquet.