James Best and Pilgrims Bay took the Betbright Chase

In a race run at a good pace throughout despite the fall with a circuit to go of leader Cocktails At Dawn, there were several runners travelling powerfully turning for home in behind the pace.

Theatre Guide, who had done well to get back into contention having been hampered in that incident, was to the fore, along with the well-backed Double Shuffle.

Double Shuffle made a major error three out, losing ground in the process, but Adrian Heskin got him motoring again and he was still in with a shout heading to the last.

However, all the while James Best was nursing the lightly-weighted Pilgrims Bay into contention and he eased past last year's winner Theatre Guide over the final fence.

Best seemed reluctant for go for everything, but when finally asking his mount a question Pilgrims Bay found enough to hold the rallying Double Shuffle by half a length.

The winning jockey, who punched the air with joy passing the post in the £100,000 contest, said: "It's days like this that mean so much, this is the biggest day of my racing career. You've no idea how much it means and how grateful I am to be given an opportunity on a day like this.

"He travelled with ease the whole way through, but you can never be confident he will go through with it. I still got there too soon really, but he was good and he went through with it today."

There was a slight blip in the celebrations as Best was unshipped shortly after the line.

He added: "I'd done celebrating, I was trying to pull him up. I delivered him as late as I dare, with the fact he is so quirky, and sure enough he's dropped his shoulder - you have to expect the unexpected with him."

Successful trainer Neil Mulholland concurred in that assessment.

"He is a character, very much so," he said. "He won first time out at Sandown for us and has been on the premises.

"We could have gone to Exeter on Friday, but we thought we would take our chance in this. He doesn't owe us anything and a good, strong pace and a tight-bunched field should suit him Thankfully it paid off.

"I'm delighted to give James Best a good winner. He is a hard worker who rides out on a regular basis. Hopefully he will get more chances, as he is a really nice fellow.

"He was there too soon. Honestly, that's what he said. With him you could not have too much confidence.

"[The Ultima Handicap Chase] is the obvious place to go - we have got The Druids Nephew and The Young Master but all three could line up in it."

Tom George, trainer of game runner-up Double Shuffle, was left looking forward to the Randox Health Grand National and said: "I'm delighted. He made an uncharacteristic mistake three out and he just lost a bit of momentum, but he stayed on well all the way afterwards.

"He is very much an improving horse on the evidence of that.

"He has 10st 6lb for the National. He won't go to Cheltenham, as he doesn't need to go up and down hills and round dales."