Does He Know won a dramatic renewal of the Mick Turner A Lifetime In Racing Novices' Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.
There were two non-runners, including exciting prospect Oscar Elite, from the three mile novices' chase leaving just three horses to face the starter.
The race proceeded very much as you would expect with Irish raider Roi De Dubai making much of the running before weakening out of contention as the race began in earnest.
Does He Know, a winner of a Grade Two at Chepstow on his chase bow, was joined at the head of affairs by Undersupervision with Sam Twiston-Davies wearing the colours of Anne-Marie and Jamie Shepherd whose I Like To Move It had won impressively earlier on the card.
The eventual winner - and 4/5 favourite - was conceding 8lbs to his rival who appeared to be travelling strongly when trying to run out at the bottom of the hill.
Twiston-Davies did well to keep the partnership intact but all momentum had been lost, allowing Does He Know to win eased down.
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“I began the day swearing about horses and that’s how I’m going to finish it!” said Twiston-Davies.
"He’s only young and I thought if he’s going to go in any direction it’s probably the chute, so for him to want to go round on another circuit I guess shows he’s got a good attitude for it all.
“I’m trying to take positives because I got told off earlier for being rude! He’s clearly got a lot of ability which is great and with the way these novice races are framed now he’s not allowed to be put up for that, so a 0-130 over three miles somewhere will hopefully be good.”
Winning trainer Kim Bailey said: “I think we were in front anyway (when the incident happened) and David said he was hanging on to him – he was very confident. The Twiston-Davies horse has run a blinder.
“I think the hardest part with this horse is getting him on the racecourse. He’s a bit of a head case but he’s fine at home, it’s extraordinary. As soon as he gets to the course he becomes something else – he nearly killed me at Newbury so I don’t go near him now!
“I think he’ll probably come back here (Cheltenham) for the next meeting. He likes it here and that was a big learning curve for him today because at the end of it he’d prefer better ground. I’ve always said he’s a horse who will prefer good to soft and this is not ideal but we had to come here for obvious reasons and he’s got a lot of talent.
“He’s a horse who we bought for not a lot of money here and he’s done us proud.”
There was more drama to come in the closing Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Top Dog looked to have the race won when hitting the front on the climb but no sooner than he had headed Aucunrisque, he hang markedly across the track towards the Best Mate Enclosure taking his rival with him in the process.
The pair lost all momentum and that allowed Bonttay (22/1) to sweep through and pick up the spoils for Connor Brace.
The winner was providing trainer Fergal O'Brien with his third victory in the race in five years and completing a 99/1 double for the season’s leading trainer.
O’Brien said: “Cedric Brooks, who owns her, had a lovely mare called The Govaness and we’ve taken the same route.
“The Govaness won first time out and came here and finished fifth before coming back and winning a Listed bumper – so I said to Cedric we’d give her a little break after Market Rasen, come here and then aim to come back in November.
“When Paddy (Brennan) rode her at Market Rasen she was as green as grass and all over the place and when he set her alight she took off and she did the same today.
“Connor said she was very green everywhere and as soon as she hit the straight off she went. It’s great to have a double today and it’s great to see crowds back here, it’s an incredible place. We’re going to celebrate with fish and chips and The Simpsons on the way home!”
Winning jockey Brace is himself enjoying a fantastic October and this was his fifth winner from his last 11 rides.
Brace said: “I had a slow start to the season with injuries and things but I’m getting going now and I’m delighted – long may it continue. I actually had eight winners one month I think when I was claiming 7lbs, but this is my best tally in a month as a professional and all of the credit must go to Fergal, whose horses are flying at the moment.
“It would be nice to (help the O’Brien team) get to 100 winners this season but I’m just going to try and take every ride as it comes and stay injury free as best as I can.”
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