Fox Norton made a triumphant first start since joining trainer Colin Tizzard when coming out on top in Cheltenham's Shloer Chase in a race marred by the fatal injury sustained to Simonsig.

The 5-2 shot came through strongly for Aidan Coleman as he stormed into the lead before the second-last fence after Special Tiara had set the pace.

Simply Ned took the runner-up spot, nine lengths away, with Special Tiara the same distance away in third.

Coleman said: “He’s a very straightforward and uncomplicated horse.

“He loves his racing. I think he’d be better on better ground again.”

But the sense of deflation around Cheltenham was palpable after Simonsig broke a leg and had to be put down when falling at the third fence.

Nicky Henderson’s grey Simonsig won eight races from 13 starts under Rules in a truncated career that was continually thwarted by fitness issues.

Winner of the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2012, he then struck gold in the Arkle Trophy a year later.

Simonsig was sidelined by injury since that final Festival success and only returned to the track at Aintree in November 2015, after which he only raced three more times.

Just minutes before the Shloer Chase, a tearful Henderson saluted the Cheltenham crowd after the great Sprinter Sacre paraded following the announcement earlier in the day that he had been retired.

Earleir Le Prezien cashed in on a late fall from Some Plan to win the Racing Post Arkle Trophy Trial Novices' Chase.

Trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Barry Geraghty, the successful five-year-old hardly dazzled in the jumping department for a great deal of the two-mile journey.

But once Some Plan fell two fences from home, having only just forged ahead, Le Prezien (8-11 favourite) seized the initiative under Geraghty.

Nearest pursuer Hammersly Lake was four lengths away in second.

Meanwhile Moon Racer convincingly upheld form with Ballyandy when successful in the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle.

The two Champion Bumper heroes clashed on their first starts over hurdles at Perth in September, with Moon Racer winning the argument by three-quarters of a length.

But this time Ballyandy could only finish a staying-on third in the Grade Two over two miles.

Mirsaale made most of the running, with Moon Racer and Ballyandy second and third respectively for a long way.

Moon Racer and Tom Scudamore then ranged up alongside the front-runner at the second-last and never looked like getting beaten from there on in.

Mirsaale creditably stuck on for second, beaten two and a quarter lengths by the impressive 9-4 scorer.

Scudamore said: “When it all comes right it looks good.

“Fortunately, I had a very, very talented partner.”

Pipe said: “It was a great performance. Both him and Ballyandy are good horses and we thought he’d improved from Perth.

“He only does just enough, but Scu (Scudamore) was always confident.

“He’s very deceiving. You’d think he’d want further, but he’s got a great turn of foot.

“He’s very much one to look forward to. He might come back here in December if there’s a race.

“I think he might be better on better ground.

“He’ll have an entry in the Champion Hurdle. Why not?”