Moon Racer landed a monster gamble when running out a commanding length and a half winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.

The 9/2 favourite opened up at 11/2 but sustained support in the ring forced his price down a point and the gamble was justified as the David Pipe-trained gelding overcame a tardy start to storm up the hill to score from 33/1 shot Modus. Pipe admitted after the race that the slow start was not the plan.

"It didn't really go according to plan," said the trainer. "It wasn't the idea to come from where he came from. Tom (Scudamore - jockey) sat where he had to sit - he had to really - and took the brave man's route down the inside. There's always a packed field in this type of race. The gaps appeared and then he quickened well.

"I'm a half-pint-empty kind of person, so I wasn't confident after that start but up the straight I thought he might just stick on. Hopefully this fella's got a bright future. He put up a good performance in October but he needed to up his game today and he certainly has. There's no reason why he can't come back here next year as a novice hurdler. The form of this bumper is working out better and better each year and he's got an engine.

"It's great for [joint owners] Caroline Tisdall and Bryan Drew as they've supported me and we can't do it without the owners, the staff at home and everyone around us. It's a relief to get a winner - I told the owners to really savour the moment as they don't come round often and I don't think we ever appreciate them as much as we should."

Scudamore was visibly delighted with Moon Racer after the race. "The tactics were forced upon me because of what happened at the start," admitted the jockey.

"Somebody got kicked earlier on so there was a bit of a delay and when the tapes went up, he just hesitated a bit. It's only his third ever run and he's never been in a start like that. From then on in, I just thought 'whatever happens, happens'.

"In the championship races here though, there are no hard luck stories. The best horse in the race usually wins and he was the best horse in the race. It makes a big difference to have the horse to do it underneath you. Even coming down the hill, I was two or three lengths back from where I wanted to be but all of a sudden it's opened for me. He's only been able to go through though as he's got the class to go through those gaps.

"It's great for Caroline and Bryan as they've been big supporters of Pond House for years now and he was bought to be sent here. He'd fulfilled their dreams and David has done it again.

"He was tough and he was brave - he's a true bumper champion. I love him - he's my favourite now!"

Moon Racer first made headlines last April when he won the George Mernagh Bumper at Fairyhouse for veteran trainer Michael Ronanye at odds of 50/1. Ronanye had bought the horse unbroken for just €5,000 at Tattersalls Ireland and sold him after the Fairyhouse race for £225,000.

Modus, a son of Motivator and carrying the colours of Al Kazeem's owner John Deer, ran a tremendous race to finish runner-up.

It was the five-year-old's first appearance since he finished unplaced at Aintree in April, a run that followed an eighth-place finish in this race 12 months ago. Given the absence credit must go to his trainer, Monmouthshire-based Robert Stephens.

A 33/1 shot ridden by Tom O'Brien, Modus finished a length and a half behind the winner. Stephens said: "I'm delighted, because he's a very nice horse and he's been working well at home. He's more relaxed this year, and that's helped him today.

"We couldn't run him this season before today because he had taken part in four bumpers so was on the limit allowed, but fitness-wise I knew he was spot on. It was a pity the start was a little ragged, because it meant he was slightly further back than I expected and the winner got first run on us. It's the sort of thing that can happen in this race.

"I knew he would fly up the hill. He has a couple of options - he could run on the Flat or we could keep him for hurdling next season."

Stephens also trains JCB Triumph Hurdle hope Beltor, of whom he said: "He's in great form and I'm just hoping for a good run on Friday. He doesn't work with Modus because they are very similar horses, so they each have a lead horse."

Modus's jockey, Tom O'Brien, said: "He has given me a great spin and he has stayed on really well. He settled nicely and kept going. It's a great training performance by Robert."

Third-placed Wait For Me, trained by Philip Hobbs, was ridden by Richard Johnson, who said: "He travelled really well, stayed and kept going all the way to the line. He is a really nice horse. He is having just his second run of his life so he will mature and develop into an even better horse. To finish third in the Champion Bumper on just your second start is a brilliant effort. He is a horse we will look forward to going novice hurdling with next year."

5.15pm Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1)

£60,000 total prize fund. For 4-6yo which have not run under any recognised Rules of Racing, except NH/ INH Flat races or French AQPS races. Horses are not to have run in more than four races and, before February 24th, 2015, must have been placed first, second, third or fourth in a race. Penalty value 1st £34,170.00 2nd £12,822.00 3rd £6,420.00 4th £3,198.00 5th £1,608.00 6th £804.00

1) MOON RACER (IRE) (Professor Caroline Tisdall & Bryan Drew) David Pipe 6-11-05 Tom Scudamore 9/2f

2) MODUS (John Deer) Robert Stephens h5-11-05 Tom O'Brien 33/1

3) WAIT FOR ME (FR) (Andrew Cohen) Philip Hobbs 5-11-05 Richard Johnson 9/1

4) YANWORTH (J P McManus) Alan King 5-11-05 A P McCoy 16/1

5) VIGIL (IRE) (Martin Bourke) Dermot Weld IRE 6-11-05 Pat Smullen

6) SUPASUNDAE (Ann & Alan Potts Partnership) Henry De Bromhead IRE 5-11-05 Johnny Burke

7) THEO'S CHARM (IRE) (Michael O'Shea) Nick Gifford 5-11-05 Tom Cannon

8) MONTANA BELLE (IRE) (Roger Brookhouse) Stuart Crawford IRE t5-10-12 Mr Steven Crawford

9) BAY OF FREEDOM (IRE) (Paul Leech) Peter Fahey 6-11-05 Noel Fehily

10) BELLSHILL (IRE) (Andrea & Graham Wylie) Willie Mullins IRE 5-11-05 Ruby Walsh

11) GENERAL PRINCIPLE (IRE) (Gigginstown House Stud) Gordon Elliott IRE 6-11-05 Bryan Cooper

12) GHOST RIVER (John Andrews) Peter Bowen 5-11-05 Sean Bowen

13) AU QUART DE TOUR (FR) (Susannah Ricci) Willie Mullins IRE 5-11-05 Daniel Mullins

14) DAVY DOUBT (IRE) (Roger Brookhouse) Warren Greatrex 6-11-5 Gavin Sheehan

15) LIVELOVELAUGH (IRE) (Susannah Ricci) Willie Mullins IRE 5-11-05 Ms Katie Walsh

16) O O SEVEN (IRE) (Triermore Stud) Nicky Henderson 5-11-05 Barry Geraghty

17) ALWAYS LION (IRE) (Paul & Clare Rooney) Ben Pauling 5-11-05 David Bass

18) UP FOR REVIEW (IRE) (Andrea & Graham Wylie) Willie Mullins IRE 6-11-05 David Casey

19) STONE HARD (IRE) (Gigginstown House Stud) Willie Mullins IRE 5-11-05 Paul Townend

20) WESTERN WAY (IRE) (Don Cantillon) Don Cantillon b6-11-05 Denis O'Regan

21) JETSTREAM JACK (IRE) (Diana Whateley) Gordon Elliott IRE 5-11-05 Davy Condon

22) NEATLY PUT (Michael Denning) Denis Hogan IRE 5-11-05 Denis Hogan

DNF) BORDINI (FR) (Susannah Ricci) Willie Mullins IRE 5-11-5 Mr Patrick Mullins

23 ran

Non-runner: Pylonthepressure (self cert - lame)

Distances: 1½, 1½, nk, 4, hd, 1¾, 1, 4½, 1¾, 3, 1, ½, 3, ¾, 7, 3½, ½, 3½, 5, 13, 23

Breeder: Denis & Teresa Bergin

Breeding: b g Saffron Walden (FR) - Angel´s Folly (Wesaam (USA))

Tote Win £4.90 Place £2.30 £9.90 £3.10 Exacta £198.10