Wiltshire-based trainer Neil King saddled the first Grade One winner of his career when Storming George (16-1) came with a great run to land the ThatPrizeGuy Top Novices’ Hurdle over an extended two miles.

The six-year-old came home two and three-quarter lengths to the good over Sinnatra (6-1) in the hands of Jack Quinlan.

Neil King said: “That’s fantastic. Just fantastic. I’m so pleased. He’s a horse we made ourselves after buying him as a store from Goffs. It’s been a fabulous journey with the most wonderful owner behind him in Mr (Peter) Beadles.

“It’s great for Jack as well and he gave him a smashing ride. To be honest with you I didn’t think we were travelling at all today but I knew he’d stay all right. I pitched him in a Grade 1 here on Boxing Day and I don’t do that for the sake of it, but he came home sick that day so we can put a line through that. The other time let me down was in the Dovecote at Kempton but we probably rode him a bit too aggressively that day. I knew he was far better than a handicapper and I was so keen to bring him here for this. I’m just over the moon.

“I’ve always thought he’s a lovely horse and he’ll jump a fence as well. He’s always been a great jumper.”

On his first G1 win, he added: “How can I sum up 30 years of really hard work in one sentence? We do this day in and day out, all of us. We do it for the love of the horse and we love the sport. To get that kind of a result is just fantastic.”

Jack Quinlan, who partnered his only other Grade One winner aboard Kalashnikov in the 2019 Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree, said: “Just incredible! It’s been a long time between drinks. This meeting’s always been very good to me - a happy hunting ground. I can’t put it into words what they mean. They’re a rare occurrence for me, but by God, they’re special.

“I was flat out all the way round, to be honest. His jumping was immaculate and probably really kept him on the heels of the leaders. Turning in, a few quickened and I thought, ‘Oh, I’ll be third, and that’s a really solid run’. Then I thought, ‘Oh, I might be second here - I’ve just got the Skelton horse [Sinnatra] to pass’, and suddenly you’re taking the whole lot home, and I can’t quite believe it, to be honest. It’s very surreal, but I’m so incredibly proud of the horse and so proud of Neil and his team. They do a brilliant job with what they’ve got, and to provide me with days like this - I can’t say thanks to them any more.

“I’m not a big household name and I really rely on the support of people like Neil, and his unwavering support over the past four or five years has been absolutely essential to my career, so to repay him with days like today is massive. Neil does so much of the work himself - he’s in the yard every day, he’s driven the horse here himself today, he actually rides the horse a hell of a lot. He is a huge part of this success - I’m just the lucky one who gets to sit on top and enjoy it. All credit to Neil, his family and his team.

“Peter Beadles probably has the two or three best horses in the yard, and two or three of the best horses I ride at the moment, and Mr Beadles hasn’t been able to make it racing so far this year when we’ve had some lovely days, but he’s here today and I can’t tell you how much more that means, that he’s here to enjoy it, because he invests a hell of a lot in it, he doesn’t ever get involved and leaves it to Neil to make decisions, doesn’t crab when they go wrong, enjoys it when they go right - he is made of gold and we are very thankful for his support.

“I wish I had more words and could express to you what it really does mean. None of my family are able to be here today, but I have great support up here in Liverpool from a great family who have sponsored me for many years, and this is like a second home for me coming up here and I’ve got all them to support me. We’ll give it a good bash tonight, enjoy it and try to do the same again tomorrow.”

Dan Skelton, trainer of runner-up Sinnatra, said: “Harry got off him after Huntingdon and said, ‘Run this horse every three weeks, get him some education, get him miles under his belt and he’ll man up and learn how to be a racehorse’, and he’s done that today. His jumping was very good - Harry held him into the bottom of a few and he was good for him. If we’d have got beat half a length I’d have been really, really annoyed, but fair play to the winner, it’s won comfortably in the end. I think we’ve run a very solid race and look forward to going chasing with him.”

Alan King, trainer of third-placed Baron Noir, said: “He’ll go novice chasing now. We might start him at two miles but he’ll get further. I’m delighted for my neighbour (Neil King) - the bastard! He’s a great man and if I couldn’t wi,n I’m delighted he did.”

Johnson White, trainer of fourth-placed Sober Glory (4-5 Favourite), said: “We’ll see what Ben (Jones, jockey) has to say but it looks as if on this ground he needs further. He’s still a very nice horse for next season.”

Paul Nicholls, trainer of the runner-up Regent’s Stroll, said: “I'm thrilled with that. He jumped well, travelled well but needs a trip. He’s going to have a wind op in the summer. I’ve known for a while we’ve needed to do that,so we’ve got that in our locker. Just there he went for his girths a bit two out and then stayed on again.

“He’s getting so much better in himself, relaxing and jumping so much better, and I thought he’d run well today. That was a fantastic run and I think we’ll see a whole different horse next year. There’s a lot to look forward to in the future. He’ll be a more finished article and he’ll finish more strongly.”

Harry Cobden, rider of Regent’s Stroll, added: “I think this horse will improve next year when he gets his wind done. He’ll obviously go the Graded route again at some point but off 145 he could win a nice handicap along the way before he potentially steps up for something like the King George. He’s improving all the time, but at the moment it’s definitely his wind which stops him.

"This time last year you basically had to get him in a headlock to get to the start, but he’s much more relaxed now and you can just chuck the reins at him and let him lob along.”

Josh Moore, joint-trainer of third-placed Salver, said: “He’s a nice solid horse. He’s had a good year; the ground had probably dried out a little too much today. He may have been better on yesterday’s ground.

“We couldn’t quite get into it because the leaders were jumping so well. Spring festivals are where the big money is and they do their best to get slower ground now, but he’ll carry on winning races. He’s only six.”