Raya Star (12-1) won the The Ladbroke at Ascot under a fine Wayne Hutchinson ride.

In a race run at an uncharactersically slow early gallop, he bided his time aboard Alan King's charge and was travelling noticeably well turning for home.

He challenged on the inside of the field and was in front shortly after the last.

The 12-1 winner found plenty for pressure to score by half-a-length from 40-1 chance Rigidity.

Alarazi (16-1) was third with 11-4 favourite Prospect Wells running well in fourth.

King said: "I am still a bit shocked as we don't normally win big handicap hurdles, in fact I think it is the first one we have won.

"After the Gerry Feilden at Newbury I thought this looked like the right place to go and he was at the right end of the weights.

"We might now look at the big handicap hurdle at Leopardstown at the end of January, but it is a 0-145 so we will have to study it a bit closer to the time."