KORNATI Kid just got the better of Will Be Done in the feature Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby Racecourse.

The seven-year-old, named after a group of islands off the coast of Croatia, held on by a neck in a thrilling conclusion to the Grade 2 £33,000 contest.

Donald McCain’s Will Be Done looked to be in the driving seat until crashing into the second last, a fence which claimed Ferdy Murphy’s Poker De Sivola, and almost taking a tumble.

But, although the eight-year-old fought back gamely, he narrowly failed to bridge the gap with Kornati Kid.

The 3-1 winner still had to survive a stewards’ inquiry, after forcing Will Be Done to the right on the run-in to the line, but the Cheltenham Festival is now the target. Grahame Whateley, husband of owner Diana, said: “We were going to see how he did and I think he’s done his stuff.”

Brian Ellison reckons Elite Land (4-1) is a bargain after he won the opening TurfTv Hurdle.

The Malton handler claimed the six-year-old for just £6,000 from Hambleton’s Kevin Ryan and he was rewarded with an easy two-and-a-quarter length success over Pearl (7-2 fav).

Jockey Felix de Giles said Elite Land, having only his second run for Ellison, won pretty easily and galloped to the line after being a touch keen early on.

And Ellison added: “At Sedgefield (where he was second) he just got in front too early.

“I got him from Kevin Ryan, at Southwell. I rang him up. I bought him and ten days later ran him at Sedgefield. He is better now.”

Heraldry landed de Giles a double when showing who was boss in the totescoop6 Millionaire Maker Hurdle.

The 15-2 shot had a battle for a while with Tighten Your Belt, but asserted in the straight and took 11 lengths out of his one-time rival.

Saddled by Middleham’s Pat Haslam, and a winner at Wetherby back in 2006, wife Anne said she was “chuffed” with Heraldry’s success.

“He’s had his problems. He has won here before, loves the ground, the trip is right for him and I am thrilled to bits,” she said.

“We had cotton wool in his ears for the first time, and it has made such a difference. We had him as well as we have had him in a long time.”

Middleham trainer George Moore made it a hat-trick of successes for North Yorkshire handlers when Kealshore Lass (5-1) took the final Saturday 14th March is Irish Day National Hunt Flat Race.

Elsewhere, Tastes Like More (11-4 jt-fav) was too good for Malcolm Jefferson’s Stick Together in the European Communications Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, Daldini (6-1) kicked away into the home straight and could not be caught in the totescoop6 Record Rollover Chase and Glimmer Of Light scooped the Bramham Hall For Conferences and Banqueting Chase.