SMAD PLACE headlined a super Saturday for Alan King as the Barbury Castle trainer netted a big-race hat-trick on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham.

For good measure he landed a double at Doncaster which included a Sky Bet Chase victory for his Grand National hope Ziga Boy.

King admitted to being "blown away" for a second time this season by his Hennessy winner Smad Place, who made all the running and now leaves his trainer torn between the Timico Gold Cup or the Ryanair Chase as Festival targets for the grey in March.

While Smad Place took full advantage of the early exit of Irish-trained Gold Cup favourite Djakadam in the BetBright Trial Chase, the victories of Yanworth and Annacotty were equally sweet.

Twelve months ago, Smad Place (9-2) had been beaten into second place by Many Clouds but the places were reversed this time as the bold-jumping nine-year-old took the spoils by 12 lengths in the hands of Richard Johnson, who replaced the injured Wayne Hutchinson.

But the turning point of the race came when Djakadam fell at the 10th fence as he was about to get into contention.

King said of Smad Place: "It was a great exhibition of jumping. He keeps up a relentless gallop and he wouldn't have minded the (heavy) ground.

"I was blown away in the Hennessy and slightly blown away again today – he does that to me, I'm thrilled.

"He's in the Ryanair, he's in the Gold Cup. He'll run in one of them and I'm not going to be committed today."

King believes Yanworth could be exceptional after the JP McManus-owned six-year-old maintained his unbeaten record over jumps with an impressive performance in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.

The 2-1 favourite made mincemeat of what looked a quality field as he swept to victory by seven lengths from Shantou Village.

"I don't know how good he is – he’s never come off the bridle in four runs this season," said King.

"I don't think I've trained anything like it. I'm sure he'll be a better horse in better ground. He's frightening - but in a good way."

Annacotty (13-2) returned to the form he showed when winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup on this course in November when repeating last year's victory in the freebets.com Trophy Handicap Chase under Ian Popham.

King said: "I'd have thought he'll come back here to run in one of the handicaps at the Festival."

Martin Keighley, who trained Annacotty for his success on this card in 2015, did not leave empty-handed as Solstice Star (13-2) completed a five-timer in the Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle under 3lb claimer Killian Moore.

"It was a step up in class but he stays further and handles the ground well," said Keighley, who trains at Condicote in the Cotswolds.

"The Martin Pipe conditional jockeys' race could be the race for him at the Festival."