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Wishfull Thinking continued to defy his advancing years as he put up a bold display of jumping to make virtually every yard in the Betfred Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon.
Run for the first time on a Sunday, racegoers were treated to a thrilling renewal as Philip Hobbs' charge was a sight to behold at many of his fences, though he had 7-4 favourite Eduard for company at the business end as the pair jumped two out together.
Nicky Richards' market leader looking like he might have the upper hand coming to the last as he held a narrow advantage, but he was not totally fluent and Richard Johnson and Wishfull Thinking (13-2) rallied strongly to surge to the front for victory by a length and a half.
Johnson said: "This is a horse that stays very well and he gave it 110 per cent. He got done for speed the last day but jumped lovely here and I think he is as well as he's ever been, despite being 11. He's so much more relaxed nowadays."
Delighted owner Graham Whateley added: " I hoped he would do it today - we had a third in this race last year with Captain Chris, which was a bit frustrating as he had so much weight.
"I hope he will have a long rest now and then we will have a think, as I think he might be better in the spring. Hopefully the ground is good for Menorah on Boxing Day (King George) and then he (Wishfull Thinking) could come back in January or February."
Paddy Power gave Wishfull Thinking a 14-1 from 20-1 quote for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Richards was left to rue the mistake at the last by Eduard and said: "He's run a nice race and I don't think there will be many people on the racecourse who would disagree that he would probably have won if he had gone and jumped the last a bit better.
"The race has been won by a grand horse, but ours is a young horse and if he'd winged the last he'd have won it for me. He's still on a learning curve, it's only his third race really at a good level and we'll have to regroup."
The Betfred Henrietta Knight Mares' Bumper honoured the former trainer who won the Peterborough Chase eight times between 1998 and 2007. She was present and when asked her favourite winner, responded: "Edredon Bleu was probably the favourite around here as he thought he owned it!"
The race was won by trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Sam Twiston-Davies - who was securing the second leg of a double - with Lifeboat Mona, who pulled clear of her rivals two furlongs from home. The 9-2 chance scored by two and a quarter lengths from Hollies Pearl.
The winning pilot said: "She'd probably benefit from better ground but travelled and picked up well. I'd imagine she'll go hurdling now as she jumps well and I'd imagine she'll have a nice future."
The Seamus Mullins-trained Song Light (4-1), ridden by Kevin Jones, swooped into the lead at the second-last in the Betfred Mobile Handicap Hurdle and held off Cloonacool by three and a half lengths.
Mullins said: "He looks to be improving and we fancied him today because of Cheltenham (third to Chesterfield last month). We might have a crack at something like the Lanzarote Hurdle."
Friendly Society looked to have pulled off something of a miracle, having made a right hash of the fourth fence, when he jumped three out in front in the Betfred Fun And Friendly Handicap Hurdle. But maiden Rendezvous Peak (16-1) took it up under Leighton Aspell at the second-last and won by two and three-quarter lengths.
Winning trainer Lucy Wadham said: "I haven't had a winner since Le Reve at Sandown (November 8) - this fellow has been a little disappointing, but he settled better today as they went half a stride quicker on this quick track."
Harry Fry's 6-4 on favourite Highland Retreat made every yard a winning one under Noel Fehily and jumped her rivals into the ground in the Betfred Fred's Festive Giveaway EBF/TBA Mares' Novices' Chase, coming home nine lengths ahead of Mickie.
The Dorset trainer said: "She'll go for the new Listed mares' chase at Doncaster on December 29. She put in a much better run last time against the geldings and she's much more in her element back against the mares."
Trainer John Ferguson's Aqalim (11-2) gave him some respite after the earlier fatality of Authorship when landing the Betfred 'Racing's Biggest Supporter' Novices' Hurdle by a length and a quarter from A Boy Named Suzi.
