THERE has been little for trainer Anthony Honeyball to smile about this season – but that could soon change after talented performer Acey Milan opened his account over hurdles at Plumpton on Wednesday.

After suffering an odds-on defeat on his last visit to the track in December, the dual Listed bumper winner, having at one stage looked held, rallied close to the line to take the Happy Birthday Kim Shaw Novices’ Hurdle by half a length.

Honeyball said of the 11-8 winner: “I thought he was beaten turning in, but I’m very pleased he has won and he has still got plenty of the season in front of him. I don’t think that has catapulted him into the Ballymore.

“If it is soft ground we might go up to Kelso for a £50,000 Grade Two novices’ hurdle just before Cheltenham. It was a race in the back of our minds.”

On his form this season, he added: “We’ve just had the classic trainer patter in that we have had a virus. We’ve had it before and we just learnt to give them a few weeks off.”