The two-mile Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase went the way of Ryan’s Rocket (14-1).
Heading to the last fence, it looked like it would be very close between the winner and Highlands Legacy (11-2), but a bad blunder by the latter ended his chances leaving Ryan’s Rocket to come home the three and a half lengths winner.
Winning trainer Fergal O’Brien said: “He’s a good horse with a good engine. He’s not easy to catch right, but when you catch him right he’s very good. It was a great ride and I’m delighted for the horse and everyone from the Noe Fehily Racing Syndicate.
“His jumping can be tricky. He paddled through the first ditch and at Kempton he made a bad mistake down the back, but he likes to go forward and he’s been great this year, winning a good handicap at Newbury and now another one here.”
Successful jockey Johnny Burke added: “He’s a lovely horse, we’ve always loved him. He’s had a fairly hit and miss career - we fancied him for a Persian War back in the day and he let us down, and it took us a while to figure him out. I said to myself today, leave him on and just go with him. The last couple of times I’ve been trying to hold him up and trying to make him jump, but he loves to stand off and you have to be a bit brave with him. He answered every call - we were going fast but I was never out of my comfort zone and I was happy to have Harry Cobden leading him; I knew that was going to be a good target for me. I was using Jonjo all the way with me down to the last and I always felt I was getting on top.
“I felt probably six strides from the fence that if we both pinged it, I felt I did have a little bit left to fight him off. He’s a funny horse to get right - we always thought of him as a stayer, but I can’t believe how quick he actually he is. He comes out every day fighting - if he was in a boxing ring he’d just keep getting up.”
AJ O’Neill, who trains the runner-up Highlands Legacy jointly with his father Jonjo, said: “He did everything well but just missed the final fence unfortunately. I don’t know if that mistake cost him, but Jonjo did a great job staying on board. I’d have fallen off!
“He came here nice and fresh because he didn’t get in the Grand Annual. We thought he’d run a nice race there, but he’s come here instead and run well.”
Paul Nicholls, trainer of third-paced Sans Bruit, said: I’m thrilled with him. He’s a tough, genuine little horse and I’m proud of him. He’s run really well but he didn’t get a soft lead this time because they know how to beat him. No horse wins a handicap here three years on the trot but he’s run a really good race again. He loves this time of year and he’ll probably go to Ayr next Saturday for a 75 grand two-mile handicap."
