WITH the Cheltenham Festival on the horizon, Kings Caple trainer Venetia Williams confirmed her stable was in peak form approaching the National Hunt feature as she had treble success at Ludlow races.

Williams, who also had a winner at Taunton with Huff And Puff, initiated the Ludlow treble with the impressive Kap Jazz who was sent off the 10/11 favourite. The seven-year-old defied a 7lb penalty for a previous victory at Carlisle ten days earlier in the novices' limited handicap chase.

Ridden by Williams' three-pound claiming jockey Charlie Deutsch, Kap Jazz jumped to the front two fences from home, taking over from front-running Some Are Lucky and cruised away to win by two lengths.

"He's always been one of those slow burners and one we've always liked. It's nice to see he's got his confidence now," Williams told reporters afterwards:

"He's one of those horses that has taken time to get his mind right. I think longer trips will suit him in time. It was a minimum test today."

Deutsch completed his double aboard the stables Centurius to cap off the red-letter day for the Williams stable in the Clive Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle for which he was sent off 11/8 favourite.

The highlight of the treble was the smooth victory on Marcilhac in the Forbra Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Ludlow.which gave Williams's former stable jockey Aidan Coleman his 100th winner for the second successive season.

Coleman was content to sit just off the lead set by pace-setting Dusky Lark before he asked Marcilhac to take even closer order at the fourth-last fence before going on two out fences from home.

Marcilhac drew away on the run-in to score by eight lengths from 3/1 favourite Nansaroy.

Coleman said after the race : "I think I was stable jockey to Venetia for six or seven years. I basically started there after a year at Henrietta Knight's, so it's been a long association. Marcilhac is a big-framed horsed and it's took him a long time to mature. It's nice to see he's fulfilling his potential" he added.

Seymour Star (8/1) followed up his course and distance success of six weeks ago in the Henman Marquees 'National Hunt' Novices' Handicap Hurdle for trainer Alastair Ralph.

The nine-year-old travelled sweetly in front from the outset for Andrew Tinkler and had enough in reserve to hold Baron Du Plessis by three and a half lengths.