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Crambo cut to 8/1 for Stayers' Hurdle glory after landing a Christmas thriller.

Fergal O'Brien enjoyed a second Grade 1 success as a trainer when Crambo rallied late to deny Paisley Park in the Howdens Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.

The Fergal O'Brien-trained runner was made to pull out all the stops but narrowly got the better of Paisley Park, who was bidding to match Baracouda's record of four wins in the Grade 1 contest over an extended three miles.

Jeremy Scott's Dashel Drasher took up his customary position at the head of affairs, but the field was tightly packed at the halfway stage.

Popular eleven-year-old Paisley Park seemed to be travelling with more zest than is often the case and Tom Bellamy was quick to throw down his bid for glory between the final two flights. Jonny Burke continued to galvanise the unexposed six-year-old Crambo and the pair soon set down for a fight after jumping the last in unison.

Paisley Park looked to be getting the upper hand close home but Crambo, who "never knows when he's beaten", battled back bravely and eventually prevailed by a short-head.

O'Brien, who was enjoying his first top-level success since Poetic Rhythm in 2017, said: "He never knows he's beat,"

 "The horse is still very young, and I can't believe he is here winning a Grade One – I could tell two furlongs out he was going to get there.

"He's a bull of a horse, Noel Fehily bred him with Jared (Sullivan, co-owner) and Noel always has him home and pre-trains him and has done a great job with him.

"He's unique, Noel was telling me today he was two weeks' premature, and the mum foaled herself and he is just one of those – you honestly wouldn't know he was in the place at home, he's so straightforward.

"We took him away a couple of weeks ago because I wanted Johnny to have a sit on him and because I didn't want Johnny to get to the races and think, 'I'm not getting much of a feel here', because that is just Crambo.

"He said he didn't give him much of a feel, but I said just trust him on the day and that is what he did – and I can't thank Johnny enough, he's given him a fantastic ride."

O'Brien made the call to give the leg up to Jonathan Burke for the first time with regular rider Connor Brace lacking experience in Grade 1 company.

He added: "Johnny has been riding in Grade Ones since he was 18 years of age. It was my decision, I've never hidden behind the owners, and I just felt coming here today, I needed to tick all the boxes.

"Connor has done a fantastic job and to be honest, Connor has made this horse over the years.

"This horse hasn't arrived here today the finished article, this is down to what Connor and all the team at home have put into him, which is what you see today."

"I'm very lucky that I have very good owners and I will speak to them when I get home, and speak to Neil (Jukes, race planner), who does our entries, and see where we go.

"I personally don't think he needs another run before Cheltenham, but we will see.

"We'll take it one race at a time and it's only my second Grade One and I've been training 12 years. It's been a long time between drinks and the first one was very important to me because it belonged to Chris Cooley, who I wouldn't be here without, and I'm absolutely delighted."

Winning jockey Burke added: "The last time he tried Graded company, he finished about seventh, so it was obviously a big step up and he needed to step up and thankfully he did.

"He travelled through the race great, jumped brilliant and his jumping was probably as slick as ever – and he battled well from the back of two out.

"It all went smoothly, and I got a lovely position, and his jumping kept me there. I was kind of wary of him hitting a flat spot but that never happened and as soon I straightened up, myself and Paisley had a great battle and it was kind of what the race was set up to be – those older horses against the young ones coming through.

"He's definitely thrown his name into the staying hurdling division now. If he keeps improving on what he has done today, then he will surely be a force to be reckoned with."

On replacing Brace, Burke said: "I'm there to do a job and get on the horse and ride him. You can get distracted by all the stuff beforehand but once you get on the horse's back, it's just another race.

"He travelled and jumped great and from the bottom of the straight, he was always going to battle. It's what we do it for, these Saturdays and the Graded races, so it is great."

Crambo was cut to 8/1 for the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham by Paddy Power.