Carruthers, Letcombe Bassett trainer Mark Bradstock’s young star, staked his claim for a trip to the Cheltenham Festival with a facile victory at Fakenham, writes Russell Smith.

Sent off the 2-11 favourite for a beginners’ chase over an extended three miles on Monday, the six-year-old made virtually all the running and, jumping soundly under Mattie Batchelor, came home 29 lengths clear of Ballyboley. Carruthers, who had been beaten two lengths by the well-regarded What A Friend at Uttoxeter on his jumping debut in October, was cut to 25-1 from 33s for the RSA Chase by William Hill.

Bradstock’s wife, Sara, said: "He came back with some sore muscles after his last run, which is why he has had some time off.

"We came here for an easy race to let him have a good school round before taking on the big boys.

"He'll have one more race before Cheltenham, and where he goes will depend on the ground."

With the big freeze decimating last week’s jumps programme, the all-weather circuit came to the fore, and Sean Curran, who trains at Hatford, near Stanford in the Vale, sent out Northern Desert to score at Lingfield.

The ten-year-old veteran stormed up the inside under Paul Doe to beat C’mon You Irons by three-quarters of a length in a seven-furlong seller.

There was no bid for the winner, and Curran added to his stable firepower by claiming the beaten favourite Landucci.

Whatcombe trainer Paul Cole also enjoyed success on the all-weather when Sicilian Warrior came up trumps at Wolverhampton.

Joe Fanning was in the saddle as the three-year-old got off the mark in style, beating Precocious Air by two and a half lengths in a handicap over an extended nine furlongs.