Royal Ascot rather than the Cheltenham Festival is on trainer Gary Moore's mind for Mondo Man, after a dramatic win in the Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown Park on Saturday.

The £100,000 handicap hurdle has previously been a springboard to an audacious double at this week's festival, but connections are looking to Britain's biggest flat meeting this year after the five-year-old's length-and-a-half success.

Sent off the 5-2 favourite, Caoilin Quinn set out to make all on Mondo Man and coming to the final flight the pair just had to jump the last flight to go on and win. However, Mondo Man jumped it untidily, which nearly unseated Quinn before he regained momentum in the saddle. The jockey had to ride the finish iron-less to deny Wreckless Eric, who finished second in the race for the second year in a row.

"I thought Caoilin was very tidy at the last – I've never seen him look so stylish," Moore joked afterwards. "It was an amazing performance.

"I didn't really want to run because of the ground, but the only reason he ran is because he's got that class. He's a class horse. I was devastated when I had to see him make the running too. It wasn't my plan to make all, but it was obviously Caoilin's plan and he's stuck to it, which is all good."

Quinn added: “I didn't have a look around going to the last, I just kept kicking forward, so I didn't know how far I was clear. They're tough conditions and I didn't want to go looking for a long one or do anything stupid so I tried to let him go in and pop it and get out the other side safe.

“We nearly didn't do that, he went one way and I went the other, but luckily I managed to stay aboard. It wasn't pretty but we got the job done.

“Riding the finish without irons is not ideal, but it's not too difficult in a way. It was back to my roots as a kid riding ponies around the field.”

There were no such problems for the pair after Ti’mamzel became the second winner of the afternoon in the listed bumper. The favourite Birds Of A Feather couldn’t settle going to post and was withdrawn.

Taking the lead two furlongs out, the five-year-old stayed on strongly to score by six-and-a-half lengths from Millstatt Abbey.

The opening two miles juvenile hurdle went to the Paul Nicholls trained Bibe Mus under Harry Cobden who was pushed out on the run in to win comfortably by three lengths.

Jockey Freddie Mitchell was deemed to have eased his mount The Bellhop prematurely losing second place to Only One Blue and received a seven-day ban from the stewards.

Scorpio Rising made it four wins in a row after landing the two miles four furlongs novices handicap hurdle for the prolific partnership of Sean Bowen for Olly Murphy.

Following a winning debut over fences over Christmas, Calimystic backed up his effort at Newbury with a one-and-three-quarter lengths success in the three miles handicap chase. Despite pecking at the last, the seven-year-old was ridded out in the run in to stay on well under Nico de Boinville for Nicky Henderson.

On just his second time over fences, the eight-year-old Soldierofthestorm was ridden out by Jonjo O’Neill Jnr to stay on well to score by three-and-a-quarter lengths.

Norn Iron defied an eight pound rise to land the finale on the card for Harry Derham with Paul O’Brien aboard.

Having previously won over course and distance five weeks ago, it was a patient ride from O’Brien who had the horse held up behind the front pair. Four out O’Brien made his move before leading narrowly at the last to go on and win by four-and-a-half lengths.

By Peter Moore