Don Bersy continues progression with Warwick success

Taking a tentative approach paid dividends for trainer Tom Symonds after Don Bersy opened up avenues to bigger targets with victory in the Cameron Smart Rainbow Race Juvenile Hurdle at Warwick.Having fallen when making his British debut at this venue in December, the four-year-old left that effort behind in the two-mile affair, showing plenty of class to defy a penalty for his last-time-out success at Sandown to defeat Dino Velvet by three lengths.Symonds said: "It was kind of what I imagined would happen. They went no gallop, but he showed a nice dynamic when leading.When you watch him jumping you can't imagine he would fall. The Sandown race filled him with confidence." The trainer went on:"We were going to go straight to the Victor Ludorum after Sandown, but you never know what the weather is going to be like and it would have been a shame to sit on him and for the meeting to be off. "The plan is now to go Haydock and this gives us a nice time between races."I'm sure at this stage that Cheltenham is out of the question. He is still quite inexperienced and I'm not sure going flat out around there on better ground is what he wants."Sir Peter (Gibbings, owner) picked out the Haydock race and that will be the cog which tells us where we go afterwards."Anthony Honeyball has his sights set on a first outing in graded-race company for Ms Parfois after she made the most of an ease in class to take the two-mile-five-furlong mares' novice hurdle.Racing front rank throughout, the 5-4 favourite opened her account over hurdles when holding Wizard's Sliabh at bay by two lengths to complete a double for Aidan Coleman.Honeyball said: "I was very pleased with Ms Parfois. She is a stout, strong mare that stays very well."I was a little bit nervous that she might get found out for a bit of tactical speed, but Aidan Coleman did well and pressed on when her jumping allowed it"She is going the right way and we will probably take her to Sandown on February 17 for a Grade Two mares' novice hurdle."It is flying quite high, but she did manage to finish third in a Listed race last time at Haydock. With a test of stamina and an uphill finish on a bit of soft ground, it gives her a fighting chance."Grand Vision (3-1) increased his chances of appearing at a fourth Cheltenham Festival after landing the three-mile open hunters' chase.Appearing to strip much fitter for a recent outing at Kelso, the Colin Tizzard-trained 11-year-old bounded clear late on to claim victory by six lengths.Tizzard said: "That's the aim (Foxhunters). That's why we went to Kelso last time, to finish in the first two (third to Black Thunder)."Mikey Hamill gained his first winner of the season when steering the Warren Greatrex-trained Cirano De Sivola (13-2) to glory in the second division of the two-mile bumper, while Carlos Du Fruitier (7-1), from the yard of Ben Pauling, made his debut under Rules a successful one in the first division.The Paul Morgan-trained Court Frontier (2-1) backed up his last-time-out win over fences at Chepstow in the three-and-a-quarter-mile handicap hurdle.Peckhamecho (8-1) snapped a losing streak dating back to October 2014 when getting his head in front for trainer Sophie Leech in the extended three-mile-one-furlong handicap chase.