Rubaud brought up a fabulous Wincanton four-timer for Paul Nicholls with a dominant display in the JenningsBet Elite Hurdle.

Sent off the 1-2 favourite in the hands of Harry Cobden, the five-year-old was always to the fore and dealt with the brief challenge of Gary Moore’s Hansard with the minimum of fuss to run out a four-and-a-quarter-length winner.

It was Rubaud’s fourth successive victory having thrived at Kempton on his reappearance and he now looks set for a potential clash with Constitution Hill at the Sunbury track in the Christmas Hurdle.

“He is just improving rapidly,” said Nicholls. “He goes a gallop, he jumps and he quickens. He sprinted away from the back of the last there and you wouldn’t know what is in the back of the tank. We like improving horses like that.

“It was a nice race at Kempton Park and he has improved since then. I loved the way he quickened over the back of the second last after he winged that. I could see Harry was sat in front just waiting.

“The plan is to go to the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day then come back here for the Kingwell after Christmas. When they start improving, you don’t know where they will end up and the Christmas Hurdle will give us a marker where we are.

“Someone has got to take Constitution Hill on. We will go there and if we finished second we will be delighted.

“He will be a lovely two-mile chaser next season. We will just pick our races this season with him.”

Knappers Hill proved a fitting winner for the champion trainer as he carried the famous colours of Nicholls’ late landlord and great friend Paul Barber to victory in the Boodles “Rising Stars” Novices’ Chase.

The seven-year-old is now owned by Barber’s sons, Chris and Giles, in partnership with Paul Vogt and last year’s Elite Hurdle winner produced an exceptional display to open his account over fences and score on the card for the second year running.

The victory enhanced the trainer’s exceptional record in the race, with Betfair cutting Knappers Hill to 20-1 from 33-1 for the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Nicholls said: “It is great that all of Paul’s family are here today. Paul would have been proud of that. He has been so good to me, and I’ve missed him a lot this year. He left a big hole in my life. This has been the target, to try to win this.

“I’m a bit emotional really as Paul would have loved that. He loved that horse as well. He went to see him every day. To see him win in his colours, he would have absolutely loved that. That was brilliant.

“We purchased him together at the Goffs Land Rover (stores) sale and he has just never stopped winning. He will run in Paul’s colours this season which is brilliant. The boys will love this.”

Nicholls suggested Newbury’s Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase on December 1 as a possible next port of call.

The Ditcheat handler got on the scoreboard in the very first race when Meatloaf took the EBF Stallions “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle in taking fashion.

A bumper winner at the track in the spring, this was the perfect hurdling bow and his handler believes he could be a Grade One operator before the season ends.

Nicholls said: ““He is a smart horse and I like him a lot. He won two races last season, and he was not beaten not far at Cheltenham (on New Year’s Day). He will get better with experience.

“He is sharp and two miles is fine for him. He might even progress to run at Aintree in that Grade One (Formby Novices’ Hurdle on Boxing Day).”

Nicholls’ afternoon got even better in the Boodles Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase when Huelgoat wore down 3-1 favourite Enjoy Your Life.

It continued a fine weekend for conditional rider Freddie Gingell, who won Friday’s Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter, and the champion trainer was eager to praise the young jockey.

He said: “He was on the floor at the cross fence, but it ended up being a good result. Freddie gave him a super ride. I’ve sort of aimed him at this race.”

Nicholls was denied a five-timer when Fergal O’Brien’s 7-2 favourite Horaces Pearl edged out Ditcheat’s Roman Roy in the concluding Join The Harry Fry Racing Syndicate Open National Hunt Flat Race, while Anthony Honeyball supplemented his victory in the feature Badger Beer Chase by claiming the JenningsBet Richard Barber Memorial Mares’ Handicap Hurdle with 18-1 shot Good Luck Charm.