Paul Nicholls enjoyed a red-letter afternoon at Wincanton, sending out a near 546-1 five-timer at his local track on the day he recorded his 2,000th career success. Kauto Stone a half-brother to the Ditcheat handler's dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kauto Star, brought up the landmark win at Down Royal, but Nicholls himself was at the West Country venue.
Silviniaco Conti was arguably the pick of his six winners as he scored a stylish victory in the totetentofollow.co.uk Rising Stars Novices' Chase.
Beaten by Cue Card on his fencing bow at Chepstow, the five-year-old was sent off the 8-11 favourite to gain compensation in the Grade Two event, but he found a worthy adversary in Kilcrea Kim.
Philip Hobbs' runner stuck with him throughout but once Daryl Jacob made a decisive move to the front at the eighth, Kilcrea Kim found it tough going and was outpaced in second when pulled up before the penultimate obstacle.
That left Silviniaco Conti well clear and with two of his rivals falling and another being pulled up, it was left to Mad Moose to trail him home by 25 lengths.
"I knew he would improve for that first run at Chepstow," said Nicholls.
"With these novices you can shoot yourself in the foot if you have them fully wound up the first day and they win and get a penalty.
"It was always the idea to have a nice run and we knew he would improve enormously for today.
"He did really well today, he galloped them into submission and he will go off to the Feltham Chase (Kempton, December 26) now."
Nicholls' Celestial Halo could be counted a somewhat fortunate winner of the totepool Elite Hurdle.
Jacob employed aggressive tactics from the off in the Grade Two contest, stoking the top weight into the lead from the tape.
The 85-40 chance set a testing pace up front but 8-13 favourite Grandouet looked to have his every move covered, sitting a length behind in second with two left to jump.
However, Grandouet hit the hurdle hard and parted company with Barry Geraghty to allow Celestial Halo a 16-length triumph.
"Celestial Halo just gallops and stays and there was only one way he was going to beat Grandouet at the weights," he told Racing UK.
"Someone asked me if he would have won or not (if Grandouet had not fallen), no one will ever really know but he was still galloping and he would have galloped all the way to the line."
Nicholls then landed the Badger Ales Trophy for the second successive year as The Minack lead home a one-two in the handicap feature.
The 11-4 favourite was a third winner for Jacob as the duo held Meanus Dandy, who won the race last season, by half a length.
Ryan Mahon was aboard Nicholls' two earlier winners with That'lldoboy (8-1) landing the toteexacta Handicap Chase and Violin Davis (2-1) on the mark in the totequadpot Mares' Handicap Hurdle.
Nicholls added: "It's an amazing day with six winners. It's just incredible.
"The whole team has helped me from the very start. Both Paul Barber, my landlord, and Richard Barber, his brother, have helped me along the way and I wouldn't have got to 2,000 winners without their help.
"It's just good for the whole team and everybody involved.
"I have got a great team, starting at home with my head lad Clifford Baker and my assistant Dan Skelton, and some fantastic owners who buy nice horses - so many crumbs to make a cake as it were."
