YANWORTH claimed a narrow victory in a thrilling renewal of the Grade 2 BetBright Dipper Novices' Chase at Cheltenham.

Alan King's Grade 1-winning hurdler had made a fairly inauspicious start to his career over fences, winning despite failing to convince on his debut at Exeter before falling at the same venue.

His jumping was again far from perfect when second behind Willoughby Court at Newbury a month ago, but with Yanworth 5lb better off at the weights, the pair were 15/8 joint-favourites for the rematch.

Both horses travelled strongly for much of the two-mile-five-furlong journey and, on this occasion, it was Willoughby Court who made the first serious mistake four fences from the finish.

The two market leaders moved up to challenge Sizing Tennessee for the lead on the run to the second-last, but Willoughby Court weakened soon after and it was left for Yanworth to master his other rival.

King's charge was big and bold when he needed to be at the final obstacle and while he gave Sizing Tennessee hope by idling on the run-in, Barry Geraghty's mount passed the post a neck to the good.

Geraghty said: "He jumped better. Alan did a good bit of work with him with Yogi Breisner and I'd say it helped.

"At times he was very good, just at one or two he got in tight. He gave away a lot of ground at the third-last, he was slow, so he's improving. It's hard work out there."

King said: "He's going to be the death of me! His jumping was good. Full credit to Wayne (Hutchinson) and Yogi Breisner, who have done a lot of work with him. They've had two good sessions to get him to shorten a little bit and that was very evident as he was very good at it.

"He's gone and winged the last and I thought he was going to go and win by two or three lengths and then he's suddenly pricked his ears. Luckily, when the other horse came to him he went again.

"It's not straightforward, but he was much better. That was a big step in the right direction.

"I think he will have entries in the JLT and the RSA (at Cheltenham in March), but he wants another run. I would imagine we will look at something like the Reynoldstown (Ascot, February 17) and there is the Scilly Isles (Sandown, February 3). It will be the Reynoldstown if we are going the three-mile route."

Sizing Tennessee's trainer Colin Tizzard said: "I thought we'd got by but we never quite got by up the run-in. He is a good horse now. He would in all probability have beaten Black Corton first time up but he frightened himself at the top of the hill.

"He won last time and we schooled him in the school this week and he looked like he was back. I think he will be RSA-bound now."

Willoughby Court finished third for Ben Pauling, who said: "Nothing will change and he will go straight for the RSA.

"I just didn't really feel that he was quite as fluent as he had been at Newbury. I just thought on that ground he was not able to operate on it like he can do.

"It was a decent mistake he made at the top of the hill and he was still only beaten eight lengths so it was not a bad run."

Wholestone (9/4 joint favourite) continued a great run of success for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede when taking the Grade 2 Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle over two miles, four and a half furlongs.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies trained seven-year-old, who was third to Penhill in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the festival in March, was winning for the first time since taking a Grade 2 novices' event over today's same course and distance.

The Irish-bred son of Craigsteel was partnered by Daryl Jacob and he beat Agrapart by three and a quarter lengths, with the same margin back to third-placed joint-favourite Colin's Sister.

Jacob said: "He came back from Newbury and had a couple of problems. All credit goes to the team. They got him right for this and he felt beautiful. I got there a mile too soon, but I wanted to get the rail. It's a big help in this ground."

Twiston-Davies said: "That was lovely. That is the best he has jumped and travelled and gone for a bit.

"He was a little bit sick and sorry for himself after Newbury. He was a little bit disappointing there. He had run superbly before. I am really chuffed to bits with that.

"I imagine it will be one more run then back here for the Stayers' Hurdle. He has run really well on good ground. He ran really well at the Festival last year and I think he was the best of the English runners in the Albert Bartlett.

"The Stayers' is a race that is looking a bit more open than some of the others and we will definitely have a look at the Cleeve at the end of this month."

Connections of Agrapart were thrilled with his effort in defeat. Jane Williams, wife of trainer Nick, said: "What a fantastic run. He loves Cheltenham and loves the ground. He is so brave and I'm really pleased.

"He has won that race before so there was no reason he would not run well in it again. The times were a bit slower today. In the race they went quick and then slowed it up and it didn't help him. He wanted an end-to-end gallop. There is no decision where he will go next."

LIGHT WEIGHT

Ballyhill (9/1) made the most of a light weight to claim victory in the Grade 3 BetBright Best For Festival Betting Handicap Chase.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained gelding crept in at the bottom of the nine-strong field with just 10st 5lb on his back, while conditional jockey Jamie Bargary claimed a further 3lb.

Bargary was happy to play the waiting game in the testing ground and settled Ballyhill towards the rear of the field for much of the race.

He made his move down the back straight and was in front rounding the home turn and while last year's winner Shantou Flyer finished strongly, Ballyhill saw him off by a length and three-quarters. Sametegal beat Top Gamble to third place.

Twiston-Davies said: "It was a long way out when he fell at Aintree last time, but we thought he was going well there and that's proved that he was.

"He doesn't mind the ground. He has pulled out plenty there so it's happy days. We will look at a race here on Trials Day and then we will work out what we go for at the Festival after that."

Tikkanbar took another step forward by registering a battling success in the Listed Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.

The Neil Mulholland-trained seven-year-old followed up a winning debut over hurdles at Plumpton in November when he made virtually all of the running to gamely defeat Ainchea by a length and a quarter.

Mulholland said of the 3/1 favourite: "He stays and gallops and loves the ground. He might jump better on better ground and he doesn't have to make the running, either, but it's working at the moment.

"He has done very little wrong and obviously this was to see if he was good enough to handle these horses. He did very well."

The other blacktype race on the card was the Listed EBF Stallions & Cheltenham Pony Club bumper over 14 furlongs and Acey Milan made all for an impressive success.

The Anthony Honeyball-trained four-year-pld, who was also an easy winner at Wincanton on his previous start, has now won two from three.

The Milan gelding was partnered by Aidan Coleman, and Malinas Jack was a clear second.