Granborough-trained horse Tooka had his owners seeing double when he repeated last year’s win in the two-mile chase at Towcester on Monday.
His trainer, Tony Middleton said it was a remarkable achievement given the fact Tooka has been suffering leg trouble recently.
“I have to be careful with him,” Middleton admitted.
“He just loves Towcester and I trained him specifically for this race.
“To win the same race he won last year was great. I will be looking for one more race for him this season providing we get some rain.”
Tooka was prominent throughout the race and repelled attacks from all the other horses, including the favourite to win by two lengths.
He was ridden by Welsh Grand National winning jockey Charlie Poste who has guided him in the majority of his races.
Poste said: “Although I ride him in most races, last year Tony wasn’t sure if he would run in this race because of the drying ground and suggested I try and book a ride on another horse.
“I did that and rode the favourite only to see Tooka in front all through the race so I was determined not to make the same mistake this year.”
But it was a day of ups and downs for the Granborough trainer as he explained: “I went out to do the early morning inspection of the yard to find our 22 year old retired chaser Nipper Reed dead in his stable.
“Although old he was fit for his age and was in good health, it would appear he died of a heart attack. With three runners at Towcester that day we needed to turn the negative start into something positive.”
