ROYAL PLAYER was an impressive winner of the William Hill Kilmany Cup Handicap Chase at Musselburgh on Monday.
Sent off the well-backed 10/11 favourite and a rare course runner for Philip Hobbs, he slammed Island Heights by three and three-quarter lengths.
The top-weight is the first winner at the East Lothian venue for the Somerset trainer since What's Up Boys in December 2000 and Johnson said: "He is very brave and has loads of scope. We crept into the race nicely and he is still learning the job.
"We liked him as a novice hurdle and we always thought he'd be an even better chaser. He's always been straightforward and I suppose he will be upped in grade now after this - he's certainly a nice prospect.
"I don't come up to Musselburgh too much myself but the track is in great order. The prize money is terrific, especially at the Cheltenham Trials meeting next month."
Stylish Chap sprung a 25/1 upset in the opening Belmont
Wallyford Maiden Hurdle for the Lucinda Russell/Peter Buchanan combination with 2/7 favourite Jalingo in second place.
Buchanan said: "He's improved for the better ground and is a nice type of horse."
Claude Carter, trained by Alistair Whillans and owned by his wife Lesley, took the William Hill-Bet On The Move Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Ryan Day.
Whillans' son Ewan said: "We were going to rough him off but he's tough and battled on gamely.
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