Al Ferof and Ruby Walsh seen here at Cheltenham© Photo Healy Racing
Al Ferof made a terrific return from a long absence to win back-to-back renewals of the Amlin 1965 Chase at Ascot.
Despite having been off the track for 254 days, the Paul Nicholls-trained grey banished any notion of rustiness with a formidable effort under Ruby Walsh in the Grade Two contest over two miles and three furlongs.
Rajdhani Express forged clear and put in some spectacular leaps, but Al Ferof travelled with far greater fluency towards the penultimate fence and when Walsh went for the jugular aboard the 5-2 favourite it was soon over as he powered seven lengths clear.
Somersby overcame a mistake at the last to take second spot, but he was comprehensively beaten, while Wishfull Thinking, winner of the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, was never really a factor until he made marginal late gains.
Owner John Hales said: "It was a good race to win this year, great to see him come back. He was back in the condition he was when he won the Paddy Power Gold Cup (in 2012).
"Last year when he won this race, he was downhill afterwards and we couldn't understand why. He was third in the King George, but that wasn't Al Ferof. He was second in the Denman (formerly the Aon) Chase, 30 lengths behind the winner - and that wasn't Al Ferof.
"So Paul and his team got together and discovered he'd got grade four ulcers. Paul discovered that about 10 per cent of his horses had those ulcers and you ask the Americans, grade four ulcers will stop buses. Horses can't cope with that.
"So Paul treated him, we treated him at my daughter's farm and even when he came off grass after 10 or 12 weeks he still had signs of gastric problems, so we treated him and carried on treating him.
"Now you can see the difference. He was giving 11lb - that was impressive. That wasn't just a win - that was an impressive win.
"We will go for the King George and we will take it from there."
