Ahead of the Paddy Power Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, Milton Harris was “hoping for a little divine intervention” for Hasty Parisian at Sandown.

Not that he did not fancy the 13-8 favourite. He wanted the four-year-old to win for his loyal owners, The Hasty Parisian Partnership, a group that includes 92-year-old Ruth Nelmes.

Her husband, Norman, passed away a year ago and the two-mile contest was run on what should have been his birthday.

Hasty Parisian read the script perfectly in the four-runner contest, cruising up with the pace before drawing readily clear of main market rival Langfel, to score by eight and a half lengths under a fine ride from Kevin Jones.

Harris said: “I think with these juveniles, which I love having, he is not off the Flat, he has had little racing experience and his first couple of runs were all about that.

“We had the mother (Va’vite), she won five, I think. All the family have won and they are a proper little family without being super, as such.

“She has bred three foals and every one has won. The others were Presenting Yeats and Mr Yeats.

“The whole family want further and the family want fast ground. He will probably end up rated between 120 or 130. He is learning to race now and he is starting to jump better.

“But it is lovely for Ruth. Her husband, Norman, was a great owner of mine and he died early last year. It would have been his birthday today. He was probably looking down on her today. And smiling, hopefully.”

Killer Kane (5-1) arrived at Spurles Farm with a big reputation and a hefty price-tag, but much like the Tottenham star he is named after, he has largely disappointed this season.

Yet the Colin Tizzard-trained seven-year-old, who cost £300,000 at the sales, went some way to justifying connections’ faith when he landed the two-and-a-half-mile Paddy Power Novices’ Handicap Chase.

In receipt of weight from all his five rivals and dropping back in trip after scoring at Kempton over three miles last time, Brendan Powell’s mount jumped well and despite wandering about up the hill, held on to score by a length and a quarter from Flic Ou Voyou.

“The drop back in trip was just for the pot, really,” said Tizzard’s son and assistant, Joe. “I was a bit disappointed with him early in the season.

“I thought after he won at Carlisle first time, he’d definitely win next time, and he didn’t.

“Whether that was the tongue straps or what, also I was a little bit worried that it was going to be slightly softer. It was good ground at Kempton, but it was a good pot to aim for.

“He wandered about a bit through greenness. He has not had miles of racing and not been in front stacks of times. It has taken a bit of getting today and he has just had a little wander in front. It is the first time we have seen it and it’s not something to be worried about.

“He was obviously bought with a reputation – he cost a few quid and I think what has happened is that he has been disappointing through the mid-part of the season and he is now on a very workable mark. Hence, we haven’t gone small with him today. I am chuffed to bits with him.

“He will probably go to Aintree now for the three-mile handicap on Grand National day. I think that track, on good ground, back to three miles will suit him.

“He hasn’t got a lot of miles on him and he could go to Punchestown as well.”

Tom O’Brien celebrated becoming a father for the second time when booting Musical Slave to success in the three-mile Paddy Power Handicap Chase.

The jockey has had a busy couple of days. Having partnered Longshanks to win the 4.05 at Exeter on Friday, he dashed to hospital to see his partner, Hayley, give birth to a bouncing baby boy at 7pm. Toby, weighing in at 9lb 7oz, “is unlikely to be a jockey given his size,” laughed trainer Philip Hobbs’ wife, Sarah.

Musical Slave (7-2) jumped far better than he had here on his last run and the JP McManus-owned nine-year-old only put the race to bed jumping the last to run out a three-and-three-quarter-length winner.

Sarah Hobbs said: “The last time he ran so badly and we had no reason for it. He ran brilliantly the time before at Exeter and we just couldn’t understand. We saw so many non-runners, that we were quite hopeful.

“He jumped a lot better. We had no reason for that run at all. He just got his rhythm and I think they may have gone too fast for him last time and took him out of his comfort zone.

“He might go to Punchestown – he has won there before – but that will be up to JP.”