Festival on cards for Pipe's classy recruit; RACING.

Byline: KEITH HAMER

MARTIN PIPE has pencilled in Imperial De Thaix for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival after the ex-French gelding gained an emphatic win at Chepstow yesterday.

The ex-French five year old made a winning debut for Martin Pipe in the Faucets for Grohe Avensys Shower Valves Novices' Chase at Chepstow, having been trained by Guillaume Macaire when successful at the Welsh course last month.

He was stepping up in trip considerably yesterday but that did not stop him romping to an eased-down five lengths success over Major Adventure for new owner Jeff Lammiman.

Pipe said: "I thought I would bring him back here as he won so nicely for Monsieur Macaire last time.

"It was a big jump up in distance for him from almost two and half miles to three miles and that would have been my excuse if he'd got beaten!

"I suppose we will enter him for the SunAlliance as he jumped very well there. It's something we can dream about but I don't really know if he's good enough for that as he's only just five years old."

Coral Eurobet were impressed and cut Imperial De Thaix to 12-1 from 16- 1 for the Cheltenham prize.

Selberry and conditional jockey Alan Day followed up their Wincanton success five days ago when taking the Faucets for Grohe Euroeco Hospital Fittings Handicap Hurdle at the expense of Zapateado.

Despite drifting out in the betting from 3-1 to 9-2, Ed James's gelding was always in command up front and the Hungerford trainer said: "He's now our winningmost horse as he's taken over from Falmouth Bay as that is six victories for us.

"He may now go to Yogi Breisner's for 10 days for some schooling over fences or I wouldn't mind running him on the Flat this spring in a handicap on heavy ground as he's only rated 75 and could take them along and take some beating."

Brian Crowley has made a good impression in the saddle since taking the Coral Welsh National on Jocks Cross for boss Venetia Williams last month and the conditional rider kept up the good work aboard Avalon Buck in the Faucets For Grohe Chiara Basin Mixes Novices' Hurdle.

The eight-year-old had to be driven out to hold off Kilcourt Lad by half a length to give Crowley his 16th winner of the term.

He said: "The way things are going I'd like to think I had an outside chance of the conditional jockeys' title however I've got plenty to do as Noel Fehily has had 36 winners."

Ross Minster, minus the blinkers he has sported in recent attempts, but a disappointing display when pulled up last time behind him with a hard- earned five-length verdict over Country Store in the Real Radio Race Night July 27th Handicap Chase.

Richard Johnson sent Philip Hobbs' charge to the head of affairs at the ninth fence and the pair maintained the momentum to the line.

The trainer said: "He seemed to get behind at Haydock last time and probably sulked a bit but he was always up there today and that seemed to suit him and he appreciated running without blinkers."