Cruz Control (10-1) repeated his success of 12 months ago to once again come out on top in the William Hill Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong.

Partnered once again by Stan Sheppard, the eight-year-old stayed on well to overcome 11-4 Favourite Imperial Saint by five lengths.

Winning trainer Tom Lacey: “I’m delighted to be able to get him back on track - he’d completely lost his way. He ran ok in Punchestown, and Stan just said to me afterwards, ‘He’s proper tired’, and it’s taken until now to get him really back on song. We mixed it up at home - took him to the beach, jumped the Aintree fences at Lambourn with him, and I’m so delighted for the owners, who are great supporters of mine.

“We’ve sweetened him up - did more slow work, gave him some away days, and the sun on his back.

“It’s just my name on the licence - there’s a team of lads at home doing all the work, and it’s great. This turns the whole season around and reinforces the fact that we can do it.”

Stan Shepard said: “He does [come alive]. He hasn’t been in the same form he was in last year, not even close to it, but he obviously likes a bit of sun on his back. Tom has done a great job with him; he hasn’t rushed him when he knew he wasn’t right, he didn’t run him. It’s a great team effort to get him back here.”

On back-to-back wins on the horse in this race, Sheppard said: “I wouldn’t mind if he tried to do it next year as well, it would be even better!

“On Boxing Day at Wetherby he jumped like a bag of spanners, which is so unlike him, and it was after that we found the ulcers, and everyone’s worked really hard to get him into such good form again. It kills me to say it but that was a great training performance from Tom! We said last year we just need to get big one; last year we got two, and this our big one today.”

Favourite Imperial Saint, successful in three handicaps over shorter distances at Aintree this season, ran another brave race in second. Joint trainer Philip Hobbs said: “He’s been progressive all year, winning three here, and that was another step in the right direction. Hopefully there will be more to come again next season. He has to go left handed and he might start in the Paddy Power, as he’s effective over two and a half.”