Chipping Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon has some exciting big-race targets in mind for Ely Brown following his win in the totepool Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby.

With morning favourite Shutthefrontdoor a non-runner and eventual market leader Green Flag unseating his rider on the level after clipping heels, the nine-year-old’s task was made appreciably more straightforward in the West Yorkshire circuit’s Grade 2 feature event.

But Noel Fehily’s mount still showed a good attitude to take the three-mile-and-one-furlong contest by nine lengths from Milborough.

Now Longsdon could run Ely Brown in the National Hunt Chase at next month’s Cheltenham Festival, before a possible crack at the Scottish Grand National at Ayr in April.

It was the trainer’s second Grade 2 success of the season following Killala Quay’s victory in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Sandown in December.

And Longsdon said: “Any Grade 2 is special to younger yards like us.

“The race was made easier, don’t get me wrong, but he has won, that is all that matters.

“Good on Ely. There is not much of him.

“He is not the best jumper in the world, but Noel gets a great tune out of him.

“Noel has made this horse, and a few of the young lads who have won decent races on him as well, including Kielan (Woods) and Charlie (Deut-sch), but he has been a good star to us.”