TIMMY Murphy was in seventh heaven at Newbury on Saturday when the Hennessy Gold Cup was the jewel in a four-pronged crown of winners for the jockey.

Murphy, the big race winner on Celestial Gold, cemented his association with Martin Pipe and David Johnson with another four-timer, as he did at Cheltenham earlier this month.

As well as Celestial Gold, he booted home Marcel, Vodka Bleu and Distant Prospect.

Murphy displayed his mastery in riding a waiting race as Celestrial Gold became the second horse in the last 24 years to complete the Paddy Power-Hennessy double.

Murphy held up the 9-4 favourite and picked off his rivals one by one on the final circuit.

He made his race-winning move at the final fence and went on to score by a length and a half from Ollie Magern.

Murphy said: "I was always confident, as he settled so well, and my only worry was whether he would pick it up, but he jumped his way into the race and I was always in control."

Johnson praised his new rider and said: "Tony McCoy was a tough act to follow, but Timmy has lived up to all expectations and is riding out of his skin."

Celestial Gold could now tackle the Bonusprint.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham in two weeks. He has also entered the Gold Cup picture, for which he is quoted at 20-1 by Coral.

Murphy gave Vodka Bleu a terrific ride as he out-manoeuvred Fundamentalist in the Stan James Fulke Walwyn Novices' Chase, pouncing when Fundamentalist veered left after jumping the final fence in front.

Murphy and Vodka Bleu went on to score by half-a-length but the defeat of Fundamentalist did not shake his position too much as favourite for the Royal and Sun Alliance Chase, for which he is now 7-1 with Ladbrokes.

Murphy's easiest triumph came on Marcel in the opening novice hurdle.

The four-year-old was winning his seventh straight race and will go for an eight-timer in either another hurdle or a novice chase at Newton Abbott tomorrow (Tuesday).

The final leg of Murphy's winning haul came in the Gerry Feilden Hurdle when he teamed up with Andrew Balding to land the spoils on Distance Prospect, who proved half-a-length too strong for Albuhera.

Tony McCoy has not had too much to shout about this month but the champion jockey can be encouraged by the way he gelled when riding Baracouda for the first time in the Long Distance Hurdle.

McCoy was always travelling beautifully on the JP McManus-owned star, who, although he only won by three-quarters of a length from Crystal D'Ainay, looked good value for that margin.

Trainer Francois Doumen will now take Baracouda to Windsor for the Long Walk Hurdle, which this year has been transferred from Ascot.