Paul Nicholls hails Silver Forever after landing BetVictor Mares race at Newbury Racecourse

Paul Nicholls believes Silver Forever has a ‘lovely future’ after landing the BetVictor Mares Steeplechase at Newbury this afternoon (Wednesday).

The seven-year-old jumped consistently to hold off the challenge from Chilli Filli as she secured the win on this track for the third time in her career.

The Ditcheat trainer has not decided which route she’ll take to the Cheltenham Festival, where she holds an entry to the Mares Chase.

“She was much more assured, she travelled well and she is a very smart mare,” said Nicholls. “I haven’t made any plans with her, today was always the plan, but she’ll have an entry in the Mares Novice Chase at the Festival.

“On the way you could run in another Mares race, so we’ll see, but she is a lovely mare with a lovely future and if she stays right she’ll do well.”

In the opening race of the day, the BetVictor Loyalty Club Juvenile Hurdle, it was the Alan King-trained Forever William who won by four-and-a-half lengths ahead of Dr T J Eckleburg.

Seven Barrows trainer Nicky Henderson saw I Am Maximus back-up his favouritism to land the Prodec Networks Maiden Hurdle under Nico de Boinville.

Henderson’s Colonial Dreams was pipped to the line by the Olly Murphy-trained I K Brunel in the Prodec Networks Handicap Steeple Chase.

The seven-year-old held off the threat from Colonial Dreams, who had jumped strongly during the run-in.

Fergal O’Brien picked up a victory this afternoon as Pull Again Green won the National Hunt Novices Hurdle.

Doukarov, under Lorcan Murtagh, landed the Conditional Jockeys Handicap Steeplechase for Swindon-based trainer Sean Curran, while the National Hunt Flat Race was won by Poetic Music.