Torphichen and Ronaldo Des Mottes entered David Pipe's Cheltenham Festival calculations with encouraging wins at Sandown.

The Somerset trainer was not forthcoming about specific targets but confirmed both of the four-year-olds to be bound for Gloucestershire in March.

The Facilitas Group Juvenile Novices' Hurdle, landed last season by Fred Winter winner Crack Away Jack, offered Torphichen a decent opportunity to retain his unbeaten record.

As 4-6 favourite, he pulled a convincing three and three-quarter lengths clear of Trenchant.

Torphichen was providing Tony McCoy with his 3,001st jumping winner after the jockey achieved the phenomenal milestone at Plumpton on Monday.

Pipe's charge has the JCB Triumph Hurdle and the williamhill.com Supreme as possibilities, with Paddy Power and totesport reporting significant money for the latter race.

"I will have to talk to his owner Thomas Barr first," said Pipe."It is good he likes cut in the ground – some Flat horses don't.

"AP thought there wouldn't be much pace on and so he sat up front and he quickened up nicely in the home straight."

Ronaldo Des Mottes (3-1) was following in the hoofprints of the classy Punchestowns 12 months ago by winning the Facilitas Ensure Novices' Hurdle.

Although his winning margin of a length was not as visually impressive as Torphichen, he was noticeably green in the closing stages and had to be kidded home by Timmy Murphy.

"He is not the biggest, but he held his own and has improved on his Folkestone win (his British debut)," reported Pipe, who was then asked about Cheltenham.

"I don't see why not," He replied.

"The dream is still alive, but we will have to see closer to the time.

"It's a big jigsaw and just a matter of fitting all the pieces in."

An immediate boost to the form came when Silk Affair (9-2), who was second to Ronaldo Des Mottes at Folkestone, came with a blistering run up the final hill to take a competitive Facilitas TES Novices' Handicap Hurdle.

Noel Quinlan, assistant to his trainer and brother, Mick, explained: "She was beaten two and a quarter lengths that day but gave away 10 and we thought the handicapper had been very fair.

"She's a lovely mare and if it's bottomless she'll go for the Fred Winter at Cheltenham. If it's good, she'll go for the Martin Pipe conditional jockeys' race."

Barry Keniry, who finished sixth aboard Troque, was given a one-day careless riding ban (February 27).