Jonbon completed back-to-back victories in the Bet MGM Clarence House Chase on the second day of the Berkshire Winter Million at Ascot on Saturday.

The ten-year-old who has never been out of the first two, looked outpaced with three fences to go, but rallied to beat Thistle Ask by three lengths.

There was drama before the race when James Bowen was called up to ride the JP McManus legend after Harry Cobden was stood down from the meeting after suffering an earlier fall on Neon Moon.

With two fences to go it was Jonbon and Thistle Ark disputing the lead, with Il Etait Temps suffering what looked a tired fall.

Jonbon rallied to edge into the lead from Thistle Ask. Jonbon received rapturous applause and there were huge cheers, too, as the Willie Mullins-trained Il Etait Temps got to his feet after being treated on-course.

Elsewhere on the card, Faye Bramley’s juvenile hurdler Winston Junior made all in the opener to win by three and three quarter lengths, with the next target in mind for the four-year-old the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Trainer Ben Clarke was celebrating his biggest win of his training career after saddling Ooh Betty to land the Warfield Mares’ Hurdle with Ben Jones in the saddle.

Earlier, Jones had steered The Jukebox Kid to victory in the Bet MGM handicap chase.

It was a brilliant day for the Welsh at Ascot after the combination of Sam Thomas and Dylan Johnston landed a double for owners Walters Plant Hire Ltd with Vincenzo and Whiskey Yankee.

Lightly raced Came From Nowhere has improved over hurdles since handicapping, building on a two-mile Wincanton second before going one better at Hereford a month ago.

The gelding continued his improvement by landing the two-mile three and a half furlong handicap hurdle by two and three quarter lengths for Jeremy Scott.

By Peter Moore