KINGS CAPLE trainer Venetia Williams added the Grade two Noel Novices' Chase at Ascot Races to her growing total of wins with Djelo.

The victory took Williams to within seven of last season's total of 42 and the season still has four months to go.

Five-year-old Djelo recorded his third win over fences under a typical front-running Charlie Deutsch ride, to record a six-length win

A delighted Williams said: "I'm very pleased,  like many of ours, once they go chasing they tend to step up.

We always thought he was a nice horse. He won a low-key race fairly easily last season and then didn't manage to progress but with these young, potential chasers you just have to let it go."

Williams won the Cheltenham festival Brown Advisory Novices' Chase with previous winner L'Homme Presse in 2022 and Djelo already appears to en route for his attempt.

While Williams’s Betfair Chase hero Royale Pagaille was ruled out of the King George VI Chase through a minor injury she could have further progressive prospects and none more so than Victtorino who won the Ascot Silver Cup by sweeping into the lead just after two fences from home and held off the late rally of Irish challenger Yeah Man to land the Silver Cup.

It was a second premier Ascot chase for the ex-French prospect, owned by members of the Mars confectionary family, after he won the Sodexo Live! Gold Cup last month.

On this occasion rider Charlie Deutsch always seemed to be struggling to hold a position, but once the partnership found top gear the result was not in doubt.

Williams commented: "It looked like it wasn’t going to go our way today.

“There was a strong pace and he wanted to go on the outside but Blackjack Magic was holding that position on the front and he couldn’t get past and into the position he wanted.

"At Swinley Bottom onwards it was pedal to the metal and he met a few of the fences on a really awkward stride, which made things difficult for him, but he dealt with it and went on to win. He’s remarkably grown up for a five-year-old.” 

The Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby was another win for Herefordshire as conditional rider Shane Quinlan marked the biggest victory of his career on Fontaine Collanges, coming home 14 lengths clear of the only other finisher Empire Steel.

The Venetia Williams-trained Fontaine Collonges is from the family of Grand National winner Neptune Collonges and it would not be a surprise to see her take in a National in time.