Dodging Bullets (centre)© Photo Healy Racing
Top Gamble put up an authoritative display to take the scalp of Dodging Bullets in the Betfair Exchange Chase at Newbury
With Dodging Bullets having his first race since winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last March, Richard Johnson made the most of Top Gamble's fitness in the Grade Two heat, register ed as the Game Spirit Chase.
Drawing the sting out of Dodging Bullets, Top Gamble, who was backed down to 11-10 favourite, made plenty of the running and pulled clear to win by 10 lengths and continue a tremendous first season for trainer Kerry Lee.
Johnson said: "This horse loves really soft ground and stays very well.
"You thought conditions were slightly more in our favour if we were going to turn the tables on him (Dodging Bullets).
"Come March on better ground, I'm sure Dodging Bullets is going to have a better chance."
Lee said: "A brilliant performance from Top Gamble and Richard gave him a brilliant ride.
"He's really enjoyed this ground, he loves Newbury and the row of fences.
"He was a Grade Two winner already last season and the key to him is what we do at home.
"He does something different every day."
Dodging Bullets' trainer Paul Nicholls said: "He needs to come on a long way from that to win a Champion Chase again.
"Saying that, we have had trouble with him.
"He's done eight weeks of work. Normally to win first time out you'd want to be doing 12 weeks' work.
"We've rushed him, and he's had a gallop. Because he's such a good horse he always goes well at home.
"He was having a real good blow then. That ground has just got to the bottom of him.
"There is huge improvement to come from him with a little bit more time.
"He's obviously going to improve an awful lot. If we were going to get a run into him before Cheltenham this was the only one.
"There is going to be lots of improvement to come and better ground will see him in a lot better light.
"I'm under no illusions, he has to improve a lot."
