One bookmaker has slashed Calgary Bay's Arkle odds from 25 to 14-1

Calgary Bay ran superbly to land the Dipper Novices' Chase at Cheltenham and enter calculations for the Arkle.

The 11-4 shot, trained by Henrietta Knight and ridden by Tony McCoy, finished ahead of Kicks For Free with Tartak in third place.

The Venetia Williams-trained Stan, ridden by Aiden Coleman, won the Skybet.com Handicap Chase at 14-1.

Cheltenham's New Year's Day meeting went ahead after the New Course passed a morning inspection.

Ground staff began covering vulnerable parts of the course with frost sheets as far back as Christmas Eve to ensure the venue was fit to race.

Calgary Bay, a gigantic six-year-old, jumped impeccably apart from a mistake at the top of the hill that Knight feels "will have done him some good".

"He's massive and, like Best Mate, came to us from Tom Costello," said Knight.

"We've always liked, him, from the time we saw him loose school in Ireland, and when he jumps he nearly lands too far out over the other side, but he's a fast jumper and very keen to get on with it."

One bookmaker has slashed him to 14-1 from 25 for the Arkle in March.

Stan, meanwhile, put a couple of below-par runs behind him to beat Fier Normand by 11 lengths with 9-2 joint-favourite Hold Em in third.

"He jumped brilliant and travelled brilliant," said Coleman. "He's special to me this horse, he gave me two big winners last season here and at Aintree.

"He's just shown today what he is about. That was a really good performance, he really quickened turning into the straight and went away from them like a good horse."

Racing at Exeter and Fakenham went ahead after both tracks passed morning inspections but the meeting at Catterick was called off after the track failed to pass an 0800 GMT inspection.

Ayr also abandoned their meetings scheduled for Friday and Saturday due to a frozen track.

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