bet365 Charlie Hall Chase

Paul Nicholls once again proved the master of having his top horses primed first time out as Bravemansgame shrugged off his final run last season when last behind Ahoy Senor at Aintree in April and gave Nicholls a fifth bet365 Charlie Hall Chase in fine style.

Nicholls is now looking ahead to Kempton and a bid to land a 13th victory in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase. The seven-year-old French-bred is a best-priced 5/2 second favourite for the Christmas feature behind Allaho, at general 9/4.

Lucinda Russell was left scratching her head after 11/10 favourite Ahoy Senor came home last of five.

Bravemansgame was displaced as favourite by his old rival – who'd beaten him in two of their three previous clashes.

Bravemansgame always travelled smoothly under Harry Cobden, who sent him easily to the front two out and pulled clear from Eldorado Allen to win by three and a half lengths.

Ahoy Senior was challenged early on by Paint The Dream but never really jumped with any fluency. He was struggling from three out and faded to a poor last of the five, over 39 lengths behind the winner (his trainer said, regarding the poor form shown, that the gelding ran too free in the early stages, which was noted; vet said a post-race examination failed to reveal any abnormalities)

"That's what we wanted to see," Nicholls said of his winner. "We knew we had him fairly right. He hasn't been away for a gallop anywhere because I wanted to improve from now.

“We've got eight weeks to get him ready for the King George and he obviously won't run before then. I've always thought the King George is made for him.

Best ever

"Harry said that was the best feel he's ever given him. He felt he was in third gear all the way round, jumped fantastically well and galloped all the way to the line."

"This has always been our aim for him when he came in. You just hope they perform like he did today; he did everything we expected of him and more."

The trainer won the race in the past with Grade 1 winners Silviniaco Conti and Cyrname, and said of Bravemansgame: "He's right up there. We've always thought he was decent on his day. I think that's probably as good a performance as he's done. Harry was thrilled with him. He's a young horse and he's improving.

"When he's right he's a decent horse and I'm learning all the time what to do with him to get him right. He doesn't want to run too often. Possibly the way we rode him round the inside at Aintree doesn't suit him, he loves a bit of light like he had today.

"Last year he was still a weak horse; if he did three times up our hill he'd be quiet for a few days, now he bounds up there three times. He's stronger so we can get him fitter – he's getting there physically."

Lucinda Russell was keen to stick to her original plan with Ahoy Senor despite his heavy defeat.

"Derek said that he ran a bit free and it took his energy away," she said. "I'm just delighted he's back safe, that's the important thing.

"We'll see how he is over the next few days. It's his first run of the season. I think we'll stick with the plans that we had and probably go to Aintree for the Many Clouds Chase."

Second

Eldorado Allen, who won the Denman Chase at Newbury last season, left no doubt over his stamina after rallying for second while giving the winner 3lb.

"That was a nice first run," said trainer Joe Tizzard. "I thought he'd travel better than he did; he was a bit flat out turning in and then he's galloped right through the line, so he's definitely getting the trip. With a run under our belt we can ride him a bit more aggressively.

"He'll get an entry at Haydock for the Betfair Chase. It could turn out to be a good run trying to give a bit of the weight to the winner."