Gustavian gets the Beer money at Wincanton

Gustavian made it third-time lucky in the 64th Badger Beers Handicap Chase with a brilliant front-running performance at Wincanton.

Anthony Honeyball’s 10-year-old was only seventh in 2023 but made the third spot 12 months ago and back for another go left little in doubt under an inspired ride from Rex Dingle.

Never missing a beat throughout, horse and rider caught a magnificent sight bounding from fence to fence, leaving Joe Tizzard’s Scarface with no option but to chase in vein for second, beaten nine and a half lengths by the on-song 11-2 chance.

It was Honeyball’s second victory in the race after Blackjack Magic’s success in 2023 and he said: “Watching him jump today, you don’t see many horses jump like that over that sort of trip bar Desert Orchid. He was awesome.

“He was overdue it, this horse. He had his pants pulled down when favourite at Exeter in February when he ran another stormer.

“Sam (Twiston-Davies) was so livid, but we couldn’t resist having another one in that veterans’ race and Credo came through and beat him that day.

“He was also a really good second in the fog at Aintree on Boxing Day and he literally got nailed that day. He obviously does go on a bit of decent ground and it does help his jumping.

“He is a 10-year-old, but you would think he was a five-year-old as he wants to go and you never have to chivvy him along, he just goes.

“It has become an important race, but we never thought about it like that until we won it, and then when we won it, we thought we would come back again and we will keep coming back for as many as we can.”