Sussex trainer Gary Moore has run some of his very best novice hurdlers here in recent years and he improved his course record further yesterday when Idris outbattled favourite Craven to win by three-quarters of a length.

And Moore and winning jockey Philip Hide completed a double when Party Games ran out an impressive winner of the RPSport - No1 for Sports Betting Novices' Chase.

Doubts over whether the winner would see out the three mile trip were dispelled as Party Games galloped away from his rivals to win by nine lengths.

Moore's assistant, David Wilson, said: "Philip was confident he would stay three miles and the horse has run some of his best races round here. On some of his best form he didn't look badly treated."

* Henrietta Knight has ruled out sending Racing Demon to Uttoxeter next Wednesday and is likely to give her star novice chaser a much-needed outing at either Lingfield next Saturday or in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown on 4 February.