RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose has wished forward Timo Werner all the best ahead of his anticipated loan move to Tottenham.

Spurs have moved for the former Chelsea attacker to bolster their options up front, especially with captain Son Heung-min being away at the Asian Cup with South Korea for the next month.

Werner’s current club Leipzig revealed on Saturday he was not involved in their friendly with St Gallen due to transfer talks and Rose has now confirmed his imminent six-month loan to Tottenham.

Rose told Sky Germany: “It’s right that Timo wants to go on loan. Timo would like to go to the European Championship.

“We wish him all the best and are keeping our fingers crossed for him.”

Germany international Werner will return to the Premier League with unfinished business after two mixed years at Chelsea, where he scored 23 goals in 89 appearances, and would be available for Spurs’ FA Cup fourth-round tie on the weekend of January 28, with the draw set to take place on Monday.

Tottenham attacker Brennan Johnson urged his team-mates to keep building momentum after their 1-0 win over Burnley on Friday.

Pedro Porro’s 78th-minute strike eventually broke Burnley’s resistance and it made it four wins in five matches for Spurs.

Despite a plethora of unavailable players, Johnson is relishing the attacking philosophy being implemented by head coach Ange Postecoglou.

“We’re enjoying it a lot. You can tell by how we play on the pitch,” Johnson told ITV. “We want to keep progressing individually and as a team we want to keep getting better.

“Before the game, the manager said, ‘we’re in two competitions, the Premier League and FA Cup, and we’re at no point where we can slack off in this cup or play half-hearted’.

“We know even (here), we won 1-0 but it went to seven minutes of extra time and they pushed with everything.

“We have to be on it 100 per cent and play how we play every week. If we can keep building momentum in this cup and keep playing how we do in the Premier League, I think we have every chance (of winning silverware).”

It was not a completely positive night for Postecoglou, with Giovani Lo Celso forced off early and, more worryingly, Ben Davies suffering a potential hamstring injury.

While Postecoglou hoped Lo Celso’s withdrawal was “muscle fatigue,” he was more downbeat about Davies, who will be assessed over the coming days.

There was better news on Micky van de Ven, after he returned following a two-month absence with a hamstring injury only to remain an unused substitute ahead of next weekend’s trip to Manchester United.

“He’s fine. The plan was to give him some game time but the way the game was going, we needed something up front to crack them open,” Postecoglou added. “We kept him on ice but he’s trained this week, he was OK and will train fully (next week). He’s available.”

Burnley also have injury concerns ahead of hosting Luton on January 15 with Lyle Foster replaced with an unspecified issue, while Charlie Taylor hurt his shoulder.

Clarets boss Vincent Kompany explained: “We’ll see. I hope it’s not bad news.

“I can’t tell you much more, but hopefully with that little bit of extra time before the next game, we’ll have some good news.”

Sheffield United cruised through to the FA Cup fourth round with a dominant 4-0 victory against League Two side Gillingham at Priestfield.

Danish striker Will Osula scored his first two goals for the Blades to put the Premier League’s bottom side in control at half-time before James McAtee’s quick-fire double late on earned last year’s semi-finalists their first away win in all competitions this season.

Blades manager Chris Wilder made five changes to his starting line-up for the game, but his side delivered an assured performance to avoid an upset and progress to round four with ease.

Osula’s opener came following a United break on 14 minutes, with his low effort going through the legs of Gills goalkeeper Jake Turner.

Turner’s fumble shortly after almost allowed Cameron Archer, one of those players who came into the United team for this game, to double the Yorkshire side’s advantage.

The Gills’ last FA Cup victory against top-tier opposition came five years ago against Cardiff, who also sat bottom of the Premier League upon their visit to Kent.

However, in front of a season-best crowd of 8,801, their afternoon went from bad to worse when Osula capitalised on Turner’s poor parry from Femi Seriki’s shot to side-foot home for his second six minutes before half-time.

Oli Hawkins wasted a brilliant chance for the Gills, League Two’s lowest scorers with just 21 goals in 25 games, when he miscued a header from Connor Mahoney’s corner 10 minutes after the break.

The Blades were also increasingly wasteful in front of goal, with McAtee and Archer flashing efforts over the bar, before the latter’s deflected shot on 63 minutes called Turner into action.

Gillingham’s best spell saw Mahoney test Wes Foderingham from distance, before Hawkins again failed to work the United goalkeeper with another header.

The hosts looked to have pulled themselves back into the tie 12 minutes from time when Max Ehmer’s glanced header crashed off the inside of the post, but the ball went back into play instead of over the line.

McAtee ended any doubts about the result on 83 minutes, as he beat the offside trap to meet Ollie Norwood’s pass and fire past the luckless Turner.

He completed the scoring with the best goal of the tie with three minutes remaining, blazing into the top corner from 20 yards after Gustavo Hamer’s short corner caught Gillingham napping.

Wilder sent new signing Ben Brereton Diaz on for his debut 20 minutes from time, but the Villarreal loanee was denied a first Blades goal by Turner in the final minute.

League One Bristol Rovers were more than a match for Championship outfit Norwich as they came away from Carrow Road with a well-deserved 1-1 draw.

The hosts took an early lead through Ashley Barnes but, roared on by 1,300 travelling fans, Rovers were quickly back on level terms thanks to a smart finish from Grant Ward.

The FA Cup third-round tie was an even game after that, with both sides having their chances, but that proved to be the end of scoring and Norwich were booed off at the end as the visitors claimed a replay at the Memorial Ground later this month.

Rovers made a positive start but found themselves behind after just 12 minutes as the hosts made their first genuine attack count.

A lapse from defender Tristan Crama allowed Onel Hernandez to get to the byline on the right and the City wide man crossed for Barnes to sidefoot into an unguarded net from close range.

Despite the setback, Rovers continued to take the game to their higher-ranked opponents and were deservedly back on terms within five minutes.

Keeper George Long did well to block an effort from Harvey Vale and young defender Kellen Fisher should have dealt with the loose ball but his weak clearance fell at the feet of Ward, who coolly picked out the top corner from around 12 yards.

The visitors might have got their noses in front three minutes before the break when Long was forced into an excellent reaction stop to deny Jevani Brown before Luke Thomas fired the rebound against an upright.

Both sides went close early in the second period, with Vale’s goalbound effort being blocked by Fisher before substitute Adam Idah just failed to get on the end of an inviting cross from Hernandez.

Norwich went close again when Idah fired inches wide after being picked out in the box by Liam Gibbs.

The hosts were looking the more likely winners as an entertaining tie entered its final quarter, with Barnes firing a presentable chance well over in the closing stages, but Rovers held out for a deserved replay.

Bournemouth produced a stunning second-half comeback to beat QPR 3-2 and reach the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The Championship strugglers scored two goals in quick succession before the break through Sinclair Armstrong and Lyndon Dykes at Loftus Road.

But the Cherries came out after half-time firing and goals from Marcus Tavernier, Kieffer Moore and Justin Kluivert secured their seventh win in nine matches in all competitions.

QPR looked to strike early in the 10th minute. Andre Dozzell turned his man in midfield and combined with Dykes before his cross was too high for the striker to get on the end of.

The hosts continued their positive start in the 15th minute when Dykes forced Mark Travers into action.

Paul Smyth showed blistering pace to beat his marker and his cross onto the head of Dykes was denied by the acrobatic Travers, who got down quickly at his right post.

The Cherries started to warm into the tie and they went close after 21 minutes when Philip Billing’s driven shot across goal narrowly missed the target.

Bournemouth struggled up to that point but a moment of brilliance from Billing to retrieve the ball off Luis Sinisterra, dribble and get a shot off highlighted their Premier League quality.

But it was the Championship side who scored first after 40 minutes.

A searching ball forward found Armstrong with his back facing Bournemouth’s goal on halfway. The striker turned Marcos Senesi with ease and glided through on goal where he produced a placed finish into the bottom-right corner.

And straight after the restart in the 42nd minute Dykes got the goal he deserved and Rangers stormed into a 2-0 lead.

The attacker cut inside from the left and his long-range effort took a heavy deflection off Max Aarons, whose poor positioning saw the ball loop over the helpless Travers and into the net.

Bournemouth flew out of the blocks in the second half and grabbed a goal through Tavernier in the 48th minute.

Both sides scrapped for the loose ball in QPR’s box after a set-piece but it fell nicely to Tavernier, whose effort took another heavy deflection before it bounced past Asmir Begovic.

Bournemouth equalised in the 58th minute through Moore.

Alex Scott’s inswinging corner was whipped into the danger zone and Moore beat Begovic in the air to nod his side back into the game from six yards.

The visitors completed the turnaround after 69 minutes through Kluivert.

Billing, who had been outstanding all game, turned the ball over in QPR’s defensive third before he picked out Kluivert at the back post.

Kluivert, son of former Barcelona and Netherlands striker Patrick Kluivert, showed how clinical he can be when he finished first time to seal victory for Bournemouth.

Partick Thistle made up ground on the Scottish Championship leaders after thrashing struggling Arbroath 4-0.

Third-placed Partick were ahead after 12 minutes through striker Brian Graham, who latched on to a ball from Aaron Muirhead and rounded goalkeeper Derek Gaston before slotting home.

Graham had a great chance to double Partick’s lead after 41 minutes but was well denied one-on-one by Gaston.

The hosts did get their second six minutes after the break as Aidan Fitzpatrick fired past Gaston from inside the area.

Tomi Adeloye ended Arbroath’s resistance with two goals in as many minutes in the closing stages, firing in a first-time strike for his opener before latching on to Harry Milne’s pass and finishing smartly.

The visitors are bottom of the table after extending their winless run to four matches.

Mileta Rajovic and Tom Dele-Bashiru spared Watford blushes as the Hornets edged to a 2-1 FA Cup third-round victory over Chesterfield.

Defeat was a cruel blow for the non-league side, who deserved at least a replay against their higher-placed opponents

The Championship side gave a first start to Rhys Healey, while Chesterfield made five changes – Liam Mandeville, Ryheem Sheckleford, Joe Quigley, Ollie Banks and goalkeeper Ryan Boot coming in for the National League leaders.

Watford almost took a fifth-minute lead when Yaser Asprilla intercepted a back pass from Branden Horton, but his effort was blocked by Sheckleford.

Backed by 3984 visiting supporters, Chesterfield were able to comfortably keep their EFL opponents at bay.

Indeed, they were able to create some pressure of their own, forcing a number of corners.

Yet they were almost undone on 24 minutes when Ismael Kone found space to bear down on goal – but his shot was saved by Boot.

The National League side then stunned their hosts on 27 minutes. A cross from the byline by Sheckleford found the head of Quigley, who directed a simple header into the net.

The goal visibly gave Chesterfield confidence, who started to move the ball around with authority, while Watford struggled to muster much of a meaningful response.

It could have been even better for the visitors less than 40 seconds after the restart, when keeper Daniel Bachmann had to save from Banks, following a move involving Sheckleford.

Watford started to get on the front foot to put their non-league opponents under pressure. However, their final delivery was lacking the quality needed to unlock the Chesterfield back line.

Chances for the hosts remained at a premium though, as the away side seemed content to soak up any advances.

Needing a drastic change in their fortunes, Watford made three substitutions – Giorgi Chakvetadze, Healey and Matheus Martins making way for Imran Louza, Rajovic and debutant Jorge Hurtado respectively.

It was one of the replacements in Rajovic that broke the Chesterfield resistance on 76 minutes, when he headed in a cross from Asprilla – to the clear relief of the majority of the Vicarage Road crowd.

The difference in the energy levels of both sides was apparent, as the Championship side looked to finish the game off while Chesterfield were looking to hang on.

Yet the non-league side could have won with seven minutes remaining, when sub Ryan Colclough headed over from less than six yards out following a header from Ash Palmer across the face of goal.

Boot was forced to palm away a fierce Dele-Bashiru effort with two minutes remaining.

But the keeper was beaten by Dele-Bashiru in the fourth minute of stoppage time to break Chesterfield hearts.

Joao Pedro scored twice late on as Brighton avoided an FA Cup upset at Championship side Stoke with a 4-2 comeback win.

The hosts – who had not beaten top-flight opposition in the competition since they reached the final in 2011 – had held the lead for 35 first-half minutes courtesy of Jan Paul Van Hecke’s own goal, after which Steven Schumacher’s team were the better side.

However, Brighton’s Ecuador left-back Pervis Estupinan let fly from 20 yards in the final minute of six added on before the interval and captain Lewis Dunk headed last season’s semi-finalists ahead just after the break.

Dunk’s raised arm conceded the penalty from which Lewis Baker equalised and it needed Pedro’s 14th and 15th goals of the season to see the Premier League team through in the final 19 minutes.

Schumacher is only five matches into his reign in the Potteries and this was his first defeat – although he has had four draws – but the way his players took the game to opponents 32 places above them offers hope for the 19th-placed second-tier club.

After Pedro’s early deflected shot looped just wide of the post the momentum was all Stoke’s with Mehdi Leris forcing the first save from Bart Verbruggen, one of four changes made by Roberto De Zerbi.

It was from that right-hand channel that Stoke took the lead as Dunk’s intended pass for Pedro was intercepted by Ki-Jana Hoever, stepping out from centre-back, and he slid in South Korean midfielder Bae Jun-ho, whose low cross was turned in by Van Hecke.

The 21-year-old Hoever, performing a hybrid role as the third centre-back stepping into midfield, was at the heart of all Stoke’s best play and twice set up Wesley, who curled wide and headed straight at Verbruggen.

But just seconds from the break goalkeeper Daniel Iversen, making his debut after signing on loan from Leicester 24 hours earlier having not played for the Foxes, was beaten by Estupinan’s drive and the advantage swung to Brighton.

Dunk had been a threat from set-pieces and he headed home Billy Gilmour’s far-post cross just moments after Daniel Johnson and Sead Haksabanovic both got in each other’s way as they ran onto Hoever’s inviting cutback.

Stoke responded with Wouter Burger’s 25-yard shot, turned behind by Verbruggen, and from the resulting corner substitute Luke McNally’s header hit the raised arm of Dunk, who knew little about it but had no VAR to save him and Baker drove home from the spot.

At that point the game could have gone either way but Brighton’s greater experience told as Pedro headed in Pascal Gross’ cross and then converted Van Hecke’ square pass as the visitors made it past the third round for the seventh time in eight seasons.

Ian Foster’s reign as Plymouth head coach started with a tricky 3-1 FA Cup third round home win over League Two strugglers Sutton.

Argyle relied on 14-goal top scorer Morgan Whittaker, with a stoppage-time deflected looping strike on the run, to seal victory, a day after appointing 47-year-old Foster.

Argyle took an 18th-minute lead through on-loan Wolves midfielder Luke Cundle, who scored on the rebound as Sutton keeper Dean Bouzanis could only parry Callum Wright’s thundering strike from the edge of the box.

The goal came after a period of Sutton pressure but was superbly crafted by playmaker Whittaker’s cross-field ball to Freddie Issaka on the left.

Issaka then passed to striker Ryan Hardie, who teed up Wright.

Sutton had an opportunity to reply from a 25th-minute free-kick but when the ball fell to Dominic Gape his downward strike spun just wide of Argyle’s crowded goalmouth.

Cundle came close to doubling his tally on the half hour but his measured shot from 20 yards was deflected just around a post by a defender running out to block the incoming strike.

Joe Kizzi’s header was easily saved by Argyle’s Northern Ireland international keeper Conor Hazard after 32 minutes and at the other end Bouzanis was equal to Adam Randell’s long-range effort.

Bouzanis made a better stop, at his near post, to deny Whittaker as he cut in from the right, beat his marker, and let fly from close range.

As half-time approached, Cundle teed up Wright but the attacking midfielder dragged his 20-yard shot wide of goal.

Sutton levelled after 50 minutes as striker Lee Angol went solo, cutting inside from the right before letting fly with a crisp finish to beat Hazard at full stretch in the far corner.

Whittaker came within a whisker of putting Argyle back ahead, with a superb curling shot from the right which skimmed just past the far post with Bouzanis well beaten.

At the other end Argyle defender Brendan Galloway needed to head clear off the goal-line as a cutback cross from the left was deflected past Hazard and towards goal.

Scottish striker Hardie broke free at the other end, but his shot was parried away by a combination of keeper Bouzanis and a defender.

Argyle regained the lead from a 68th-minute Hardie penalty, driven down the middle, and to which keeper Bouzanis got a hand, following a foul by Josh Coley on Whittaker, as he went for the return from a nifty Joe Edwards one-two.

Sutton sub Craig Eastmond tried his luck from 20 yards but fired wide after 77 minutes.

Argyle had second penalty appeals waved away by referee Will Finnie as Whittaker was fouled homing in on goal from Cundle’s incisive pass.

Minutes later he struck his 14th goal of the season to send Argyle into the fourth-round draw.

Hull required an 87th-minute equaliser to keep their FA Cup hopes alive and seal a 1-1 draw against managerless Birmingham at the MKM Stadium.

Matty Jacob bagged the equaliser, marking his first start for the Tigers with a memorable moment to set up a third-round replay at St Andrew’s later this month.

Lukas Jutkiewicz put the Blues in front inside the opening 18 minutes of the contest with a glancing header and for much of the contest it looked as though the Blues, coached by interim boss Steve Spooner, would be able to get life after the sacked Wayne Rooney off to a winning start.

But, they could not withstand the pressure from the home side, meaning this tie will have to be settled in the second city.

After what has been a challenging week at St Andrew’s, it was the visitors who started the quickest in East Yorkshire as Jutkiewicz stung the palms of Ryan Allsop inside the first 10 minutes.

The veteran striker really should have scored four minutes later, pushing an effort wide of the Tigers’ goal after seeing Koji Miyoshi capitalise on an error from Sean McLoughlin to create the opportunity.

However, Jutkiewicz kept knocking on the door and in the 18th minute, he found his goal. Getting away from his man on the right wing, Cody Drameh picked out the 34-year-old with an inch perfect cross and Jutkiewicz did the rest with his deft header nestling into the bottom corner of Hull’s net.

Birmingham almost doubled their advantage a minute later as Siriki Dembele burst into the hosts’ box before rattling the crossbar.

Hull dominated possession for much of the first half, but they struggled to find attacking rhythm and despite their best efforts, they reached half-time without troubling Neil Etheridge in the Blues goal.

The 59th minute introduction of new boy Billy Sharp, signed on a free transfer after a stint in the MLS, seemed to breathe life into the Tigers’ attack and Aaron Connolly went close to finding an equaliser on a couple of occasions.

After dominating possession once more in the second half, Liam Rosenior’s side finally found their goal as Jacob, fresh from his league debut at Hillsborough on New Year’s Day, nipped in at the near post to poke the ball home after seeing Etheridge fail to handle Connolly’s initial effort.

Birmingham came close to a last-minute winner through Jay Stansfield, but Allsop got down well to pull off what was perhaps the save of the game.

Sammie Szmodics scored a first-half hat-trick as Blackburn avoided an upset by overcoming League One outfit Cambridge 5-2 in the FA Cup third round.

In the first meeting between the sides in exactly 31 years, Blackburn found themselves behind when Jack Lankester’s early curling finish put Neil Harris’ team in front.

Szmodics swept in an equaliser in the 23rd minute but parity was brief as Sullay Kaikai volleyed in his second of the season to put Cambridge ahead again.

Blackburn’s superior firepower was the difference, though, typified by Szmodics, the Championship’s leading marksman, who lashed in a second equaliser in the 37th minute before completing his hat-trick in stoppage time, volleying in his 19th of the campaign.

Arnor Sigurdsson’s seventh of the season midway through the second half, and Harry Leonard’s late header, ensured welcome respite from Rovers’ league form.

Cambridge’s aggressive start was rewarded in the sixth minute when Jubril Okedina picked out Lankester in the area and he cut inside onto his left foot before curling brilliantly into the top corner.

Szmodics went close 10 minutes later when Jack Stevens superbly tipped his shot away but Blackburn’s continued pressure eventually told when Szmodics confidently swept Hayden Carter’s near-post cross into the bottom corner.

United came roaring back and restored their lead in the 26th minute when James Brophy’s cross was cushioned by Lankester into the path of Kaikai who emphatically rifled home a volley from 12 yards.

Blackburn restored parity again in the 37th minute when Sigurdsson pounced on a loose pass before threading to Szmodics, who hammered a left-footed shot beyond Stevens from close range.

Szmodics still had time to complete his hat-trick before the break with the best finish of the lot, finding the bottom corner with a first-time volley to convert Callum Brittain’s pinpoint cross.

Andrew Moran’s left-footed shot cannoned off the crossbar just after the break, before Kaikai’s mazy run at the other end found Adam May who shot straight at Leopold Wahlstedt.

Stevens in the Cambridge goal produced another impressive sprawling save, this time to thwart Sigurdsson’s low, curling effort.

But the Iceland international could not be denied when Cambridge failed to clear their lines and Carter showed remarkable poise to find Sigurdsson six yards out.

Leonard somehow volleyed wide from close range but made up for it in the 81st minute, rising highest to head home Harry Pickering’s left-wing centre.

Sigurdsson forced a remarkable reflex save from Stevens late on, while Szmodics rattled the post, but that would have been harsh on Cambridge who battled valiantly.

Saracens’ torrid weekend that began with revelations over Owen Farrell’s possible move to Racing 92 continued with a 19-10 Gallagher Premiership defeat at Leicester.

Farrell’s champions struggled on a hard-fought afternoon in the East Midlands with the England captain powerless to prevent a third league defeat in four matches.

News he has been in talks with Racing 92 over joining the Top 14 leaders next season emerged on Friday, sending shockwaves through Saracens and the Premiership even if an agreement has yet to be reached.

Farrell is England’s biggest star who has spent 15 years at StoneX Stadium, but a move to Paris would make him ineligible for the national side and land another blow on the credibility of a competition experiencing an exodus of players across the Channel.

If he does head to the French capital, on recent evidence he will be departing a troubled Saracens with their latest loss registering a fifth Premiership defeat of the season – their total for the whole of the 2022-23 campaign.

Errors by the 32-year-old contributed to two of Leicester’s three tries but Tigers also made life difficult for the visitors, their determination stamped all over an impressive display.

Farrell’s early contributions were with the boot when stationed deep inside his own half as Saracens faced an early onslaught from the hosts, but in the 12th minute he made a significant blunder.

Flinging out a pass intended for Elliot Daly, the ball was instead picked off by centre Dan Kelly who cantered over for the opening try.

Saracens hit back with a long-range try inspired by Daly’s athleticism that was finished by Tom Parton and, having landed the conversion, the England fly-half delivered successive pinpoint kicks that forced Leicester to scramble.

Having nudged Saracens five points ahead with a penalty, he then dropped a simple pass and kicked a ball straight into touch, inviting Tigers to attack from the edge of the 22.

With waves of Leicester runners building pressure, the visiting defence cracked with Matt Rogerson crashing over to open a 12-10 lead.

Kelly had a second try in which he outhustled Daly controversially chalked off and the frantic pace continued into the second half with both sides going close to scoring.

Leicester turned down three routine points in favour of going for the corner and they began hammering away at the whitewash, gaining the advantage of Maro Itoje’s departure to the sin-bin for not retreating 10 metres.

Saracens’ scrum was stood up and, with the white shirts buckling before the repeated attacks, quick hands delivered the key moment with Harry Simmons finishing in the right corner.

Leicester now had the cushion to close out the game and they did this in solid fashion to leave the visitors positioned in sixth place in the table.

Padraig Butler’s Da Capo Glory struck on his seasonal debut to land the EASYFIX Handicap Hurdle at Cork.

The seven-year-old has not been seen since pulling up in the Galway Hurdle in August last year but took no time in hitting his stride this time around.

Under conditional rider Darragh Allen the gelding started a 9-2 chance and toughed it out to prevail by a head on testing soft to heavy ground.

“It is his first run for five months and Darragh (Allen) knows him very well having won a bumper and maiden hurdle on him,” said Butler.

“We couldn’t look past him with his 7lb claim on that ground, which is worth its weight in gold.”

He went on: “This horse was my first winner, he is still flying the flag and is a mighty horse. He isn’t big but is very well bred and jumps hurdles very well.

“He pulled up in the Galway Hurdle when they went a million (miles per hour) and we were behind and beaten after the first hurdle. He didn’t really get a race though but the thing about him is he can hit flat spots in his races.

“He ran well when finishing fourth in the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran last year and that is an option again.”

Willie Mullins’ Largy Hill got off the mark over obstacles when winning the ITM Irish Stallion Trail 12-13 January Maiden Hurdle under Paul Townend.

The bay is a bumper winner who finished second on his hurdles debut at Navan in November, a run he improved for as he secured a two-and-three-quarter-length victory over Oscars Brother as the 1-2 favourite.

“He stayed nicely, travelled well and with the ground being testing, had to do things right which he did,” said Townend.

“He improved from a good first run (over hurdles) and we were hoping he would improve at this distance.

“He was professional in everything he did and stayed very nicely. That ground is hard work and when I got there, he sized up the last himself. I’d imagine that that is his distance, as the way he races he has no problem with three miles.”

The other maiden hurdle on the card, the Happy New Year From All At Cork Maiden Hurdle, went the way of Thomas Cooper’s D Art D Art, a three-and-a-quarter length victor under Donagh Meyler at 100-30.

The chestnut was well beaten on his hurdles debut at Naas but returned to action at Cork to claim a second career success to add to his prior bumper win last term.

“We dropped him in at Naas but he got crowded and with more light today, jumped savage and was deadly,” said Cooper.

“Ricky Doyle schooled him over hurdles before he ran at Naas and said he never saw a horse go from A to B as quick.

“Sean (Flanagan, on Will Wilde) took him on early doors today and while he was gaining on the flat, my fella was gaining over the jumps. He was low and quick.

“His form is on heavy but yielding ground shouldn’t inconvenience him. I didn’t think beyond today and it is hard to know where to go now.”

Thomas Gibney’s Flamborough won the Annual Membership Available Rated Novice Hurdle as the evens favourite under Darragh O’Keeffe.

“It was a very suitable race and was almost made for him. It’s great if you have a horse who fits into these novice rated races and he did. He didn’t travel great in the race so we are delighted to get the result,” said Gibney.

Ellmarie Holden’s Jet Setting Johnny took the Quays Bar And Bistro Fermoy And The Stables Bar Carrigaline Beginners Chase under Hugh Morgan at 100-30.

The performance was the gelding’s third start over fences and he prevailed by half a length over the two-and-a-half-mile trip.

“That was a long time coming but we got there in the end and Hugh, who is with me full-time now, knows him inside out,” Holden said.

“It looked positive coming here today from a good run the last day although we were concerned about the ground.

“The initial plan was to sell him after point-to-pointing him but that didn’t work out although he is for sale now.”

The 12-year-old R’evelyn Pleasure showed he had plenty to offer still with a half-length triumph in the EASYFIX Handicap Chase.

Partnered by Mark McDonagh, the 13-2 chance was the winner of a veterans’ race at Limerick eight days ago and clearly came out of that contest ready to go again.

“I had to run him back so quick as he came out of Limerick well. They went no gallop at Limerick, he found things so easy so I had to run him,” said O’Brien.

“He ran well in this race a few years ago and I liked him coming today as it was a small field and Mark kept it simple. He toughed it out well and is really enjoying his racing.”

Dibble Decker rewarded some strong support in the market after prevailing in a tight finish to the Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Handicap Chase at Wincanton.

Trained by Tom Lacey, Dibble Decker was backed into 11-2 near the off and was always travelling powerfully for Stan Sheppard.

Charlie Deutsch attempted to make all on the Venetia Williams-trained 2-1 favourite Georges Saint and he was still just about in front at the second fence from home.

Sheppard was delivering his challenge on his inside while Iconic Muddle was on his outside, but it was Dibble Decker who was always doing enough on the far side, benefitting from a first-time tongue tie.

Sheppard told ITV Racing: “He’s certainly much better with a lead, the last day he was fairly forward. His first run last year was poor and his first run this year was so he obviously takes a run to reach a peak.

“The tongue tie was definitely a contributing factor, I’d never heard anything wrong with his wind but it was worth a go today.”

Lacey and Sheppard teamed up over Christmas to win a nice race with Blow Your Wad at Kempton and the jockey had news of his future targets.

He said: “Tom has been very good to me over the past four or five years, jockeys and trainers need good horses and we seem to have found one with him. I think he might go to the Pendil at Kempton in February, miss Cheltenham and then go to Aintree.”

Joe Tizzard could have a nice prospect on his hands in Lord Of Thunder, who justified strong support in the Virgin Bet Novices’ Hurdle.

He travelled strongly throughout for Brendan Powell and the 4-5 favourite had no trouble in pulling seven and a half lengths clear.

Powell said: “I think he’s improved since his last win. We didn’t go mad early but he quickened up from the back of two out and he’s put almost 10 lengths between himself and the others fairly rapidly.

“Maybe Kim Bailey’s horse (Heros De Romay) has slightly underperformed but regardless of what he beat he couldn’t have done it any easier.

“I wouldn’t say he needs soft or testing conditions but he does handle it very well.

“He’s quite exciting, I don’t want to get too carried away but he’s earned the right to step up in grade.”

Fast Buck (100-30) was put in as favourite for the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Handicap Chase, yet despite two non-runners ended up being the outsider of four.

You would never have known, though, as he made just about all the running under Lorcan Williams, who said: “It’s nice to be sat on him in such great form and he got into a nice rhythm.

“It’s fantastic for the owners and the trainer (Jane Williams) is in form, I was lucky enough to be sitting on him.

“He’s got a unique jumping technique but now he’s 10 he’s probably got the knack of it.”

Trainer Joe Tickle celebrated his first winner of the season when Daany (8-1) stayed on dourly to win the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Hurdle, the second leg of a double for Micheal Nolan.

Tickle said: “It’s taken a while to come but two miles round here seems to suit him down to the ground.”

Nolan had earlier won on Mairis Icon (9-4), who got off the mark at the eighth attempt in the Virgin Bet Fives Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle for Seamus Mullins.

Rare Clouds (15-2) was rewarded for a series of consistent efforts when winning the Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Handicap Hurdle for Simon Earle and James Best.

The concluding Virgin Bet Novices’ Handicap Chase went the way of the Noel Williams-trained Haston Clermont, with Jonathan Burke steering the 4-1 shot to victory.