TWO Cotswold trainers enjoyed double successes at last week’s two-day International meeting at Cheltenham.

Naunton’s Nigel Twiston-Davies secured victories on Saturday through stable star The New One and the promising Blaklion.

Luckley’s Martin Keighley, meanwhile, had bagged a brace the previous day through Benbane Head and Any Currency.

The New One claimed the StanJames.com International Hurdle under the handler’s son Sam Twiston-Davies.

The six-year-old now boasts 13 wins from 18 starts after a four-and-a-half-length success as a 4-7 favourite.

Nigel Twiston-Davies laid down the gauntlet to Willie Mullins and Jessica Harrington, the Irish trainers of Faugheen and Jezki, who should be The New One’s main rivals in the Cheltenham Festival’s Champion Hurdle in March.

“Just because he’s British, it doesn’t mean he’s not very good,” the trainer said. “He was unlucky in the Champion Hurdle last year and, apart from meeting the last wrong at Kempton (in the Christmas Hurdle), he would probably have won there too.”

The New One could clash with Faugheen in this year’s Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day.

Super-sub jockey Ryan Hatch combined with Blaklion (9-4) to win the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle by 11 lengths. Jamie Moore was due to ride in the Grade Two heat, but fell in the previous race.

Nigel Twiston-Davies said of Blacklion: “We hope he goes to the top. He’s obviously a stayer. The Albert Bartlett (at Cheltenham next March) will be the aim with him.”

Cotswold trainer Keighley sprang back to form with a Cheltenham double.

Benbane Head (16-1) created a surprise by taking the Majordomo Hospitality Handicap Chase by nine lengths.

Any Currency (8-1) bagged the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase by 12 lengths.

Keighley said: “It was a great afternoon. The horses haven’t been running to form, but they bounced back, which is fantastic.”

Chipping Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon enjoyed success through Grandads Horse (9-4 favourite) by a head in Doncaster’s bet365.com Handicap Chase.

Wilberdragon (6-5 favourite) also scored at Bangor for Longsdon by five lengths.

Nigel Twiston-Davies also boasted a Lingfield win on Saturday through Count Guido Deiro (10-1).