Vaucelet gave David Christie his second McMahon McKay Hospitality And Leisure Hunters Chase since 2019 at the St. Stephen’s Day feature at Down Royal.
The gelding showed admirable battling qualities in the home straight when staying on strongly in the hands of Barry O’Neill to get up and lead close home to deny the Stuart Crawford trained Dorking Cock by a neck.
The seven-year-old who has plenty of ability only found last season’s champion Billaway too good when second in the Champion Hunter Chase at Punchestown in April before going one place better a month later in the Stratford Foxhunters.
All eight that went to post finished, with the favourite The Storyteller never really getting involved and finishing a distant seventh.
