Spirit Leader took the Tote Gold Trophy, the feature race on a quality card at Newbury on Saturday.

The Irish raider, the only mare in the race, battled past favourite Non So on the run-in to land the �70,000 first prize.

The 14-1 shot was ridden by Norman Williamson, who was only booked on Friday after his original mount failed to make the cut.

The seven-year-old may now be aimed at the County Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Spirit Leader is trained by Jessica Harrington, who also trains Moscow Flyer, favourite for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Kadarann boosted his Champion Chase claims

But that race has been opened up by the performance of Kadarann in winning the Game Spirit Chase.

Kadarann had been the subject of a massive gamble for the Cheltenham event earlier in the week and his performance at Newbury showed why.

The six-year-old was the second string of trainer Paul Nicholls in the race, with Cenkos, second favourite for the Champion Chase, going off an odds-on favourite.

But Kadarann took the lead at the third last and never looked like being threatened.

And from 40-1 earlier in the week, he is now as low as 5-1 with some bookmakers for the Champion Chase.

It was the first big win for jockey Joe Tizzard since his return from nine months out with a serious spinal injury last month.

Nicholls had a treble, one leg of which was formed by Valley Henry who re-ignited his Gold Cup claims with victory in the Aon Chase.

The eight-year-old had disappointed in the Pillar Chase but looked a different horse as he held off the determined Chives by 2� lengths.

Favourite Marlborough fell at the last when already beaten.

Winning trainer Nicholls said a tilt at the Gold Cup would depend entirely on the ground even though a �100,000 bonus is on offer should Valley Henry win Cheltenham's blue riband event.

"If it is good ground then we will go for the Gold Cup and if it's soft we won't - it's as simple as that," he said.

Chives is such a tough and honest horse, I am sure he will have his day soon Henrietta Knight

"I could not believe the way he ran last time, but Barry said as soon as they were going down to the start he knew that the ground was going to be a problem."

Henrietta Knight put the opposite condition upon the participation of Chives at Cheltenham.

"If it came up soft and over the extra two furlongs he could run in the Gold Cup but otherwise he will go for the Grand National," she said.

"He has run three great races this season and come second every time," she said.

"It's a bit heartbreaking but he is such a tough and honest horse I am sure he will have his day soon."

Aon Chase
Newbury, 3m

1 Valley Henry 4-1 (B Geraghty)
2 Chives (R Guest) 3-1
3 Truckers Tavern (D Russell)
6 ran. Dist: 2�l, 7l

Tote Gold Trophy
Newbury, 2m �f

1 Spirit Leader 14-1 (N Williamson)
2 Non So 9-2f (M Foley)
3 Tikram 25-1 (L Aspell)
4 In Contrast 6-1(R Johnson)
27 ran. Dist: 1�l, 3�l

Game Spirit Chase
Newbury, 2m 1f

1 Kadarann (J Tizzard) 5-1
2 Cenkos (R Walsh) 5-6f
3 Lady Cricket (A McCoy) 2-1
5 ran. Dist: 8l, 4l