Divine Bishop on Festival trail

A review of Friday's action from Newbury as Bishop Wulstan and Minella Rocco won impressively.

Bishop Wulstan gave his chances of making an appearance at the Cheltenham Festival a boost when landing the AJC Premier Juvenile Hurdle at Newbury.

Having looked outpaced approaching the third-last, the 16-1 chance, who is entered in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, stayed on well under 7lb claimer Paul O'Brien to swoop past Eminent Poet and Space Walker in the final 110 yards to score going away by two lengths.

Winning trainer Harry Whittington said: "It has worked out really well but we thought we would be up against it looking at the entries.

"Plan A was to go to Warwick last Friday, but that was abandoned, and this was the only other option to go for if he had any chance of going for the Fred Winter.

"He's had a hard race so we will see how he comes out of it, but we have got 12 days to go and if he shows us enough we will give it a go."

While a trip to Cheltenham could be next up for Bishop Wulstan, an outing at Aintree's Grand National meeting may be on the cards for Katie Too after she made a successful winning debut in the Rickerty Bridge Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat.

The 9-2 shot got up by a nose to deny Sea Pride in an exciting finish.

Winning trainer Alan King: "She settled really well and is from a pretty talented family.

"If she runs again this year it would be nice to go to Aintree."

Village Vic gained a first victory over fences when jumping his rivals into the ground after making every yard of the running in the Berry Bros and Rudd Handicap Chase.

The 5-4 favourite left behind a below-par effort on heavy ground at Ffos Las last time out by showing a resolute attitude under an attacking ride from the front under Richard Johnson to take the two-mile contest by two and three-quarter lengths.

Johnson said: "He was sixth in the Tote Gold Trophy as a youngster but he's had a few injury problems.

"Chasing is where his future lies and it's nice to get a win on him again."

Noel Williams was a relieved man after the giant-framed Krackatoa King put an end to a string of near-misses in the Southdowns Water Co Handicap Hurdle.

Having finished in the frame on his last four outings, the 8-1 shot, who stands over 18 hands tall, finally hit the target when staying on doggedly to take the three-mile contest by three and three-quarter lengths.

Williams said: "We've been knocking on the door with placed horses so this win was much needed.

"I thought this track would suit him him as its big, long straights allowed him to get into a rhythm."

Minella Rocco (2-5 favourite) handed Tony McCoy and Jonjo O'Neill the first leg of a double when following up his Kempton success with an impressive seven-length victory in the Physicool National Hunt Novices' Hurdle.

The pair completed the brace when Bandit Country (9-2) made an immediate impact on his first outing over fences with a two-and-a-half-length success in the Agetur UK Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.

O'Neill said: "In fairness, Bandit Country jumped well and did everything right.

"When he schooled he was a natural over them, really."

Having failed to figure in his three previous outings, the David Pipe-trained Vif Argent (5-1) put in a tenacious performance from the front to record a five-length pillar-to-post victory in the RR Elite Handicap Hurdle under Kieron Edgar.

The winning rider was, however, given a four-day whip ban which will run between March 14-17.