NICHOLS CANYON was too keen as owner Graham Wylie's hopes of landing the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival were dashed.

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The dual Grade 1 winner was sent off the 7-2 favourite for the £120,000 contest, which opened the second day of National Hunt racing's spectacular, but never looked to settle under jockey Ruby Walsh.

Tuesday’s Festival hero held the five-year-old on the inside and then switched him to the outside in a bid to relax him.

But the rider always looked ill at ease in the saddle as Windsor Park (9-2) took the honours for trainer Dermot Weld and rider Davy Russell.

It was testament to Nichols Canyon’s class that, despite looking like he would drop back as the race got towards the business end, he fought on up the hill to finish third.

“The horse didn’t settle so by the time he got to the end game he was flat out to the boards,” Newcastle-based businessman Wylie said. “I was delighted with the run and that he handled the ground.

“That means we can run him on both soft ground and good ground and he will just have to learn to settle, that’s all.

“He fought the whole way. Maybe it will need different tactics, maybe we will have to put him out in front and let him dictate. It was a great race to watch and I am pleased with the way he ran.”

Willie Mullins, trainer of Nichols Canyon, confirmed that his horse had been “too keen” and it had cost him his chance.

Wylie also owns Bellshill and Up For Review, who ran in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, but neither could feature in a race claimed in tremendous fashion by 9-2 favourite Moon Racer for trainer David Pipe and jockey Tom Scudamore.

Leaping log fences may be the future for Rose Of The Moon after the David O’Meara-trained gelding finished seventh in the Glenfarclas Handicap Chase.

The five-time victor hasn’t entered in the winner’s enclosure since taking a Wetherby chase 14 months ago and had started to look increasingly temperamental in his races.

But the ten-year-old, ridden by Jake Greenall, seemed to take to the unusual cross country Cheltenham course – bowling along positively towards the front during the first half of the race.

Out-paced during the latter stages, he then rallied to pinch seventh on the line in a contest won by Rivage D’Or (16-1) and Helmsley-based O’Meara feels similar races could be the future for the gelding.

“He just gave one or two a bit of a nudge when he could have done without it but he’s a horse that has lost his mojo to a degree and that seemed to rekindle it a little bit,” he said.

“He could come back here for more of these type of races. It could be his future career.”

Rose Of The Moon is again entered in the Grand National after falling at the 26th fence last year but, weighted near the bottom of 87 remaining entries this time, is unlikely to make the cut.

O’Meara added: “He won’t get in - not this year. I’ll have a chat with the owners (about the future). If he likes that, we might look at some more of these races abroad.”

Norton trainer John Quinn’s Mr Gallivanter, meanwhile, always struggled throughout the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – never making the frame and finishing 17th in a contest won by 25-1 shot Qualando.