Truckers Tavern - back to winning ways. (Getty Images)

By

Truckers Tavern took advantage of a lenient handicap mark to record his first success for almost two years with a resolute display in the skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase in front of a large Boxing Day crowd at Wetherby on Boxing Day.

The meeting survived a 7.30am inspection after temperatures dipped below freezing overnight, and leading fancy Murphy's Cardinal and Wain Mountain were taken out of the £50,000 feature on account of unsuitable ground, which was officially described as good to soft, good in places.

Truckers Tavern, who had failed to fulfil the promise he showed when second to Best Mate in the 2003 Cheltenham Gold Cup, was going well in the Wetherby contest 12 months ago when he slipped and came down.

However, under a patient ride from Keith Mercer he proved three-quarters of a length too good for Malek in this year's renewal.

Lord Transcend, the 5-4 favourite, was travelling strongly in the lead when he fell at the 11th fence, where Royal Emperor unseated Dominic Elsworth.

Malek went on turning for home, with the Ferdy Murphy-trained Truckers Tavern making progress to track the leaders. The 8-1 chance moved up to challenge Malek at the second-last, but he hit the fence hard and looked booked for the runner-up slot.

However, a good jump at the last put him back in contention and he stayed on well on the run-in to claim the £29,000 first prize and give the 23-year-old rider his biggest win "by far".

"He's been one of those unlucky horses and he would probably have won it last year," Murphy said. "But he was 19lb better in compared with last year, so you would think he should have won it.

"I'm not sure where we go, maybe the Singer & Friedlander or something like that. It depends what the handicapper does.

"He'll hold an entry in the Grand National subject to Mrs Scholey (the owner) being happy enough to do it, and he'll probably have an entry in the Gold Cup as well, and if it came up bottomless you never know."

Mercer, one of the rising stars of the weighing room, returned with blood streaming from his nose as a result of his mount's blunder, and said: "He gave me a great feel until the second-last."

Despite his fine victory, the conditional jockey was in for a dressing down from Murphy, who added: "Keith is a good kid but the one thing he did that he shouldn't have was that he fired him at the second-last. You cannot fire this horse at a fence, you just have to sit and suffer."

William Hill make Truckers Tavern a 50-1 chance for both the Gold Cup and John Smith's Grand National.