SAM TWISTON-DAVIES has big breeches to fill having replaced Ruby Walsh as stable jockey to the all-powerful Paul Nicholls yard.

At Cheltenham on Saturday, the Naunton-based 22-year-old came of age, riding a big-race double of contrasting brilliance on Caid Du Berlais and the appropriately-named Sam Winner.

The record Open Meeting crowd of 35,681 could see for themselves just why Nicholls tipped Sam as a future champion jockey long before he was a member of the team at Ditcheat.

The likeably modest Twiston-Davies even tried to play down his crucial role in the victory of Caid Du Berlais in the £160,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup when revealing that he had told his boss not to run the horse due to his fears that the ground would be too soft.

The jockey said: "I've got a lot of apologising to do. I told Paul not to run Caid Du Berlais, saying it was a bad idea.”

Luckily, Nicholls ignored his young tyro’s advice and Twiston-Davies showed no lack of belief as he delivered Caid Du Berlais with a withering run up the final hill to catch Johns Spirit two strides from the line.

It was an agonising defeat to take for local Temple Guiting trainer Jonjo O’Neill and jockey Richie McLernon, who were bidding to repeat their success in the race 12 months previously with the same horse.

In trying to give the inexperienced but extremely talented winner 13lb, Johns Spirit ran a tremendous trial for the Ryannair Chase at the Festival in March.

Ever the gentleman in defeat, O’Neill said: "Yes, it is a bit hard to lose like that, caught so close to the line. But that's Cheltenham, that's the hill, and what makes it so exciting."

If Twiston-Davies showed sublime timing on Caid Du Berlais, his ride on Grand National hope Sam Winner in the Murphy Group Handicap Chase was all about dogged never-say-die persistence.

The extremely idle Sam Winner had to be cajoled along throughout and jumping the last ditch at the top of the hill he was virtually flat out just to hold his place in the leading quintet.

Suddenly coming back on the bridle down the hill, Sam Winner led at the third last and then showed the sort of stamina and determination he will need at Aintree in the spring.

"He's a real true stayer, he jumps well, he likes going left-handed and better ground will suit him,” said Nicholls. “He's a proper Aintree horse."

He added: “That’s as good a ride as you will ever see – Sam never gave up on the horse.” West Country trainer Philip Hobbs and his jockey Richard Johnson who dominated Cheltenham on Friday with three winners, maintained their form when Golden Doyen cemented his reputation as the best juvenile hurdler seen out this season with a gutsy success in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial.

Dursley owner Terry Warner had hoped that his Big Easy, a Cesarewitch winner on the Flat, would win the Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Hurdle, but Katkeau (for David Pipe and Tom Scudamore) forged away from him in the final strides after a good duel.