Paul Nicholls closed to within one of Martin Pipe’s record for the number of UK Jumps winners trained when Rubaud ran his rivals ragged to win the BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Aintree.
Bar one error down the back straight, the 4/1 chance produced an exhibition round of jumping under Sam Twiston-Davies and, after he put five lengths between himself and nearest pursuer JPR One approaching the second-last fence, the race was all but over.
Another fluent leap at the final obstacle sealed the deal and he ran on strongly to the line to score by a widening six-and-a-half lengths.
The winning trainer told ITV Racing: “He won the Pendil Novices' Chase but I went back hurdling with him because the races at Kempton and Wincanton last year suited him. He ran very well the other day at Carlisle which is the wrong track for him, and he was giving everything weight.
"Today, he was back in on a good handicap mark and we fancied him. He schooled once over fences in the week with Sam on him and jumped really well, so we thought we'd give it a go. We'll have to aim high now and have a go at something like the Tingle Creek. Today was probably his Gold Cup, though."
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