Tiddesley Wood and Molten Sea provide O’Brien with Kempton double

Fergal O’Brien and Jonathan Burke teamed up for a Kempton double on Saturday, with Tiddesley Wood and Molten Sea both on the mark.

Tiddesley Wood’s form ahead of the Virgin Bet Novices’ Hurdle was particularly notable having finished fourth behind subsequent Cheltenham Festival runner-up Act Of Innocence on his last start in Listed company at Huntingdon.

Sent off a 7-2 shot in the hands of Burke, Tiddesley Wood travelled well throughout and certainly had the measure of runner-up Etna Bianco, coming home five lengths clear.

O’Brien said: “Tiddesley Wood was fantastic. He’s got a big engine, he’s not always been the best jumper but he’s won a couple for us now.

“He ran well in the Sidney Banks last time and hopefully he will jump better when he goes over fences.

“I will speak to the owners now and there might be something for him at Aintree, he seems to like those flatter tracks, but we will mind him.”

Molten Sea was a thoroughly impressive winner of the opening Virgin Bet Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

A three-times Flat winner for William Haggas, Molten Sea changed hands for 20,000 guineas at Tattersalls in October and finished fifth on her hurdles bow for O’Brien.

The Too Darn Hot mare stepped up on that with a smooth performance for Burke, cruising home by 14 lengths from Shutfrontdoor as the 2-1 favourite.

O’Brien added: “It was great to see Molten Sea win. It was only her second outing for us and it was a lovely run.”

Sean Bowen gained a measure of compensation for a “depressing” Cheltenham Festival week as he also struck twice at the Sunbury venue.

The James Owen-trained Secret Des Dieux (3-1 favourite) got him off the mark in the Virgin Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase before Doctor Ken (2-1 favourite) struck for Bowen and his boss Olly Murphy in the Virgin Bet Handicap Chase.

He told Racing TV: “(Cheltenham can be summed up) in one word, depressing. I had some good runs from some good horses – Libberty Hunter was 50-1 and finished second in the Champion Chase, Banbridge was third, Ikarak was third at 40-1 Sticktothplan was second at 25-1. They were all big prices and ran well but I need a winner there.”

Prince Rupert made a striking debut for Nicky Henderson in the closing Virgin Bet ‘Junior’ National Hunt Flat Race.

A son of Golden Horn out of a Group Three-placed Flat runner in Frankellina, Anthony Oppenheimer’s homebred was the 6-4 favourite under Nico de Boinville, who had to ask the gelding for just the minimum of effort in winning by three lengths from Stars Aligning.

Intosomethinggood (14-1) secured a three-quarter-length verdict under Toby McCain-Mitchell in the Virgin Bet A Good Bet Handicap Hurdle, while Teddy Blue (8-1) just edged out Blueking D’Oroux in the feature Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Handicap Chase for Harry Derham and jockey Paul O’Brien.