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Well backed as conditions deteriorated for Huntingdon’s feature Grade 2 event on Sunday, Venetia Williams’ six-year-old was excellent at his fences, measuring the obstacles well before taking up the running from initial pace-setter Nickle Back three from home.

Charlie Deutsch’s mount had built up a six-length lead over Ginny’s Destiny and plugging-on Protektorat as he made the turn into the straight and, after putting in neat leaps at the final two fences, Djelo sauntered over the line with six lengths to spare over 6/4 favourite Protektorat.

Ginny's Destiny (100/30) was a further seven and a half lengths adrift in third, Nickle Back tailed off and the only other runner, Minella Drama, pulled-up.

Williams said: “Irrespective of their history, and what they had done, it was his day today. He is so clever at the obstacles whether he is long, short or tight he is just so quick as he is an intelligent horse.

“I’m so thrilled for Pete Davies, his owner, for Charlie, who has ridden him beautifully and Cara, who rides him all the time.

“It was a wonderful performance. Going to the last down the back I looked behind and thought they are all in trouble now. He has finished behind the third horse (Ginny’s Destiny) before, but that was a complete turn around today.

“He was third at the Cheltenham Festival in the Turners, and he won three races last season, but he has been progressive ever since his attention has turned to fences so let’s hope that is continuing.

“This weather has changed the ground for him and that has helped him as well. I know Protektorat on his day is a top-class horse, but it is not always his day, but this was obviously our day. It was a lovely performance.

“I’d like to think we have two great flagbearers in the three mile division in L’Homme Presse and Royale Pagaille and it is great that this horse is stepping up to somewhere near this level now.

“His mark was 149 before today and he will go fairly north of that. The other two are in the 160s so he is going to be below that level, but he is in a different division."

Following the race Djelo was introduced by Paddy Power at 20/1 for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but Williams was in no rush to make future plans.

She added: “You would have to think about that (the Ryanair Chase). I’m not going to talk about future races at this point as we want to celebrate today.”

Pro going counter-clockwise

A return to going left-handed is now on the cards for the runner-up Protektorat with his trainer Dan Skelton earmarking the Fitzdares Fleur De Lys Chase at Windsor on January 19 as his next port of call.

Skelton said: “He just doesn’t go right handed. Harry (Skelton) was having a row with him the whole way around. They didn’t go quick enough early on and that didn’t help him.

“I didn’t think going right handed would make the difference between winning and defeat, but it has.

“He will now go to Windsor for the Fleur De Lys Chase.”

As for Ginny’s Destiny, who stayed on past rivals to finish third, his trainer Paul Nicholls intends to step the eight year old up in trip for a tilt at the Grade Two Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on January 25th.

Nicholls said: “We will step him up in trip and go for the Cotswold Chase. We will go back left handed over a track he likes.”

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