Meganisi kickstarted Newbury's Winter Festival with a game defeat of Aaim To Prosper in the Sportingbet Novices' Hurdle at Newbury.
Rebecca Curtis' 7-4 favourite, who was also smart on the Flat but already quite experienced at hurdling, spent most of the race disputing the lead dual Cesarewitch winner Aaim To Prosper, the 15-8 second-best in the market. However, the latter was having his first try at jumping and was a little hesitant at some of the flights, and Tony McCoy pushed his mount three and a quarter lengths clear.
Curtis' partner Gearoid Costelloe said: "He's a nice horse and AP said that two miles is his perfect trip for now. We'll have to sit down and discuss things, but he deserves to go into a Graded race now."
Parsnip Pete was welcomed back by the happy members of The Parsnips after he continued on the upgrade in the Burges Salmon Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.
The race was really trainer Tom George's second preference but he had no complaints as the 5-2 favourite added to his success at Haydock a month ago. McCoy and Kruzhlinin made a brave fist of leading throughout the trip of just over two miles, but Paddy Brennan and Parsnip Pete finished with purpose and were a length and a half too strong.
George said: "I wanted to run on Saturday but I wasn't allowed - it's a big meeting of the Beaufort Hunt and the owners are local to the area. The horse has taken quite a long time to come together, he was very keen as a young horse but has done it nicely today. He won't run for a month."
Nigel Twiston-Davies would like African Gold (8-1) to make up into a Cheltenham Festival prospect following his striking victory in the CSP Novices' Handicap Hurdle.
Now a winner of three of his four starts under Rules, the four-year-old could be spotted making stealthy progress behind the leaders turning for home and was alongside the well-backed Faultless Feelings by the second-last. Although conceding the rail to his rival, the trainer's son, Sam, got a better tune out of his mount and came home three and a half lengths in front.
"You'd hope he might end up as a long-distance Cheltenham novice type," said Twiston-Davies snr.
"I think he's a nice horse. He's still quite green and would appreciate better ground."
19 June 2013
Doyle fits the bill in Hunt CupToronado pointed towards Goodwood
O'Brien keeps faith in Camelot
Kazeem crowned Prince of Ascot
Cambridge Dun and dusted
Perfect Ten in Jersey
Plenty of rain needed for Approval
Banoffee pencilled in for Haydock
Classic rematch in Coronation
Guest has excellent chance
Brittain sweet on Rizeena
Team O'Brien hope for perfect Ten
Chigun aiming for Cambridge glory
Camelot bids for redemption
O'Neill ace proves too sharp
Ballydoyle in command in Coventry
Dawn delivers in thriller
Sole powers to sprint glory
O'Brien sounds War cry
18 June 2013
Stevens is king of the CastleAl Thani snaps up Sandiva
Minute's silence remembers Cecil
Duntle on Cambridge duty
Alive and Just in Ribblesdale mix
Passage heads Gold field
Deegan considers Soprano options
Toro out for Palace glory
Cecil's words not lost on Ponsonby
Dawn out for Palace redemption
Hawkwood supplemented for Hardwicke
Flotilla To Drop Back In Trip
Cecil's Chigun in Cambridge action
Al Kazeem and Camelot clash again
De Kock hoping to make history
War ready for Royal Ascot battle
Kingdom set to reign over Ascot
17 June 2013
Magician set for Palace showdownCat clings on for Carroll
Three more winners for Lady Cecil
Monaghan delivers on Midnight
Treve in stunning Diane win
Sapphire target for Trees
Beckett mulls Secret options
Nicholls has broken wrist
16 June 2013
Songbird aiming to fly highMovie has Newmarket on radar
Fahey juveniles primed for action
Stubbs leads O'Brien Coventry team
Salsify on summer break
Kempton target for Benbulben
Top trio head Palace runners
Shea Shea shoots for Stand glory
Animal heads Queen Anne field
Saint-Cloud aim for Dunaden
Magician to be declared for Palace
Soul all heart in York sprint
Kingsgate rules Musselburgh
Sam too sharp for rivals
Hughes makes it pay with Knight
Balding on mark with double
Morawij in a hurry in Scurry
Bartley is queen for a day
Big guns to clash in Coronation