Champers On Ice pulled out plenty from the front to go one better than on his previous visit to Cheltenham after recording a gritty win in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.

In a race which few got into, the well-supported 7-2 joint-favourite survived a stewards' inquiry in the extended two-and-a-half-mile prize to follow up his inaugural victory over hurdles at Newbury last time out.

Although outsider Allysson Monterg posed a real threat over the last, he could not quite on terms with the David Pipe-trained six-year-old and a neck separated the pair at the line.

Following the race, in which winning rider Tom Scudamore received a one-day ban for careless riding, Champers On Ice was left unchanged at 25-1 for the Albert Bartlett by Paddy Power.

Pipe said: "He kept pulling more and more out. He got beat here on goodish ground round the sharper track.

"We thought the softer ground and more galloping track would play to his strengths. There were some decent horses in the race and you could have made a case for four or five of them.

"If he comes back here in March I would say it would be for the Albert Bartlett, although he will have an entry in both (Neptune)."

Perfect Candidate opened his account for the season when showing bags of stamina to clinch the Watch Live Racing On BetBright.com Handicap Chase.

After running two creditable races in defeat at the Prestbury Park track on his first two starts of the campaign, the Fergal O'Brien-trained nine-year-old gained his just reward.

De Kerry Man - making his first start in 305 days - was still travelling strongly until departing at the third-last, to leave the eventual winner in front.

Meeting the last as sprightly as the first, the 4-1 chance bounded up the hill to defeat the staying-on Beg To Differ by eight lengths.

O'Brien said: "I am delighted with that, the owners have been great to me and it's nice to have a winner here for them.

"He has improved with each run he has been here. Paddy Brennan went out with a plan and it worked.

"It's just a shame Alan Lee wasn't here as he was a big part of our team. We will enter him in the National, but that might be a year too soon."

Progressive gelding Singlefarmpayment ran out a decisive winner of the BetBright Casino Handicap Hurdle.

Tom Lacey's six-year-old opened his account under Rules in some style when proving much too strong for subsequent winner Westren Warrior at Southwell a month ago and was the 7-2 favourite on his return to handicap company under Nico de Boinville.

The Gold Cup-winning jockey was content to bide his time while loveable veteran Knockara Beau set a strong pace, before allowing Singlefarmpayment to ease closer to the lead rounding the home turn.

The market leader travelled powerfully to the final flight and found an extra gear running up the hill to secure victory by three and a half lengths.

Knockara Beau ran a fantastic race in second, with Anteros and Horizontal Speed not far away in third and fourth respectively.

Lacey said: "He's always been highly strung and on his first few runs for us he was just in a white sweat and we just had to bring him along quietly and look after him.

"It's been a joy to have him and a good project and the patience has paid off in the end.

"It was a big step up today and I think we can be a bit more ambitious."

Trainer George Charlton was thrilled with the effort of Knockara Beau, who was having his first start since last March.

The 13-year-old could return to Prestbury Park later this month for the Cleeve Hurdle, a race he won at 66-1 in 2014.

"It was a fantastic run considering he was carrying a stone and a pound more than the winner. The handicapper beat us," said Charlton.

"He's a fantastic horse. I could do with another few like him.

"He's in great form and we might run in the Cleeve Hurdle and see if we can compete well in that again."

Capeland eventually wore down the strong-travelling Jam Session to claim the EBF Stallions & Cheltenham Pony Club Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.

A winner of his only start in France, the Paul Nicholls-trained Capeland was the 7-4 favourite for this Listed heat, but looked booked for minor honours when Jam Session cruised to the front.

However, the latter began to wander on the run-in as greenness set in and Capeland stayed straight and true to see him off by half a length under Sam Twiston-Davies.

Following a well-publicised disappointing December, this was a second New Year's Day winner for the champion trainer following Emerging Talent's victory at Exeter earlier in the day.

Nicholls said: "He's a nice horse and he stays really well - he wants two miles.

"As he's been quite keen at home, I told Sam to drop him in, but in hindsight we should have ridden him a bit more prominently and made more use of him.

"He's a lovely big four-year-old and we'll give him one more run a bumper and then put him away to go hurdling. We might go to Newbury in six weeks' time.

"Horses like this want time, but I thought he'd go well today."