Deafening Silence showed plenty of stamina when taking the Betfair Beacons Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown.

Dan Skelton’s six-year-old was one of a field of five for the Grade Two event, starting at 6-1 as Nicky Henderson’s previously unbeaten Southoftheborder was the was the 11-8 favourite.

The latter horse unseated late on and so too did the rallying Josh The Boss, leaving Deafening Silence and Harry Skelton to pass Paul Nicholls’ Insurrection on the run in to the line to prevail by two and a quarter lengths.

“The two six-year-olds have come a long way clear and I think that is the type of day it is,” Skelton said of the first two home.

“That bit of strength on this ground, around this track is so important. He is obviously a very strong stayer.

“I wouldn’t say Harry was off the bridle, but he was a bit cold on him the whole way round. He has got a fabulous attitude, and he wants to keep doing it. There is not a lot not to like about him.

“We had a sloppy jump two out and I thought is that our chance gone, but he is a tenacious horse.

“I got him out of an English point-to-point so it is nice to fly a flag for the English pointers. I think he is a horse with a massive future. I said beforehand that he didn’t have to win today to think he has a big future, but that obviously cements that. A big bag of carrots is next for him.”

Following the race, Deafening Silence was introduced at 20-1 by Unibet for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with that race likely to be his long-term target according to Skelton.

He added: “You would have to go up to three miles with him. Two and a half miles around here is three and more at most venues. We will just pick and choose.

“He could run at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day over two and a half miles, but it would want to be really soft or he could go to Doncaster over three miles (River Don) or there is Haydock Park two weeks later (Prestige) over three miles.

“It is an acceptable dream to have (to go to the Cheltenham Festival). You wouldn’t want to be going to an Albert Bartlett at a tender age, but with his age and strength and the form to back it up, I think it is an acceptable situation to go there.”