COTSWOLD horse Cogry booked his place in the four-miler at the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old, trained by Naunton’s Nigel Twiston-Davies, ground out victory in Warwick’s Money Back Faller Insurance At titanbet.co.uk Novices’ Chase.

The Twiston-Davies stable are now on the look-out for a suitable amateur rider with the target being March’s Toby Balding National Hunt Novices’ Chase.

Cogry (6-5 favourite) held off Doing Fine by a neck under the trainer’s son Sam Twiston-Davies for his second success over fences.

“He made a bad mistake down the back and did well to come back from that,” said Nigel Twiston-Davies’ assistant Carl Llewellyn.

“Cogry’s ground it out but didn’t want another furlong. I’m sure he’ll get four miles. He’ll go for the four-miler and we need a good amateur for him.”

At Kempton, Kayf Blanco gained a deserved first Rules success under a fine waiting ride from Ryan Hatch in the Racing UK Anywhere Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Stow-on-the-Wold trainer Graeme McPherson’s gelding was always travelling kindly in rear.

Hatch bided his time and made rapid headway to challenge in a manoeuvre that saw him come up the stands rail.

The 11-2 shot was well on top after flying the last and went on to score by two-and-a-half lengths from A Little Bit Dusty.

McPherson said: “He’s not been out of the frame for us since coming over from Ireland and his form has worked out particularly well.

“He’s bred to get three miles so the fact he’s won over two is very encouraging.”

Temple Guiting trainer Jonjo O’Neill’s resurgence in form continued when Minella Rocco (4-1) took the notable scalp of West Wizard (4-5 favourite) in the New Racing UK iPad App Novices’ Hurdle.

Champion jockey Tony McCoy, who announced he was retiring at the end of the season, guided the promising JP McManus-owned five-year-old, an Irish point winner, to a six-length victory.

Other successes saw Bourton-on-the-Water handler Ben Pauling triumph at Newbury with Barters Hill (10-1).

Ustica (5-2) won at Uttoxeter by a nose for O’Neill and Aldeburgh (9-2) stormed in for Nigel Twiston-Davies on the Flat at Wolverhampton.