Taurus Bay put in an excellent debut run over fences to land the Grade 2 Boodles Rising Stars Novices' Chase at Aintree.
Ben Pauling's five-year-old, part-owned by Harry Redknapp, was thrown in at the deep end against Talk To The Man and No Drama This End but he knuckled down to get the better of the former who loomed up menacingly before the final fence.
Jockey Ben Jones found a good stride on the 13/2 chance at the last to give him momentum and he was driven out for a pleasing length-and-a-quarter success from Dan Skelton's Talk To The Man (100/30).
No Drama This End (8/11 favourite), who was aiming to take Paul Nicholls level with Martin Pipe for his total career winners, took them along in front but folded tamely and finished last.
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Pauling said: “He won his two novices’ hurdles as he liked last season and then ran in the gloom at Cheltenham, when he ran a mighty race.
“That race left its mark, and I didn’t think we were going to get to The Festival but I said to Harry and Geoff, let’s go for some experience. He wasn’t in the form I needed him to be, but I wanted him to get the big occasion and get some experience. He travelled until two out (in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle), he then rooted two out and Ben just stood up on him after that.
“We always knew he had the ability but today was a good race. Ben said he just took a blow like all mine do, so he will improve a lot for it.
“I was amazed with his performance today. So far this season, ours have just needed it when they get into a battle against horses who are more prepared than we are.
“This horse hadn’t had an away day and is not a big, burly horse so you wouldn’t want to do much early doors in the season with him. Today was very much to get him where we wanted him and, hopefully, we can go on from here.
“I was very keen to keep him over two miles, but it was just finding a race that was safe for him to run in. We had no ambitions to come straight for a Grade Two but that’s where we’ve ended up. I do think he’s a very quick horse – he’s not a fast horse at home but shows lots of speed on the track.
“I don’t know whether we will go to two or two and a half miles next. He seems very versatile and we’ll play it by ear.”
Jones added: "He has gone below the radar, I've loved him from day dot. I said let's be brave and it happened.
"Very smart. Hopefully he can go onto bigger and better things."
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