Fontwell win sees Lough Derg stay top

Lough Derg regained his position at the top of the Order Of Merit leaderboard from Kauto Star with an extraordinary comeback in the totesport.com National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell.

David Pipe's gelding is the apple of rider Tom Scudamore's eye and has become one of the surprise success stories of the season.

Instead of stringing his rivals along from the front however, this was an altogether different effort as he stole the Grade Two event from My Way De Solzen and Elusive Dream in the dying strides.

Scudamore was left wiping away the tears after the line but could not have comprehended victory with a circuit to go as he began to shove the 5-1 shot along.

Lough Derg was still 15 lengths adrift of the pair straightening for home but the leaders seemed to have set a stiff enough pace and as they began to look weary before the last, Scudamore took his chance and pulled two lengths away in a titanic struggle.

"He's just a special horse," said Scudamore.

"I've known him since he was three and you've just got to keep pushing him as all he wants to do is keep going.

"Down the far side I knew he'd stay on, but I didn't think I'd win until halfway down the run-in."

Lough Derg now sits 14 points clear in the season-long Order Of Merit and remains 20-1 with the sponsors for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

My Way De Solzen, who was badly hampered on the penultimate circuit by the fall of Gold Gun, was eased to the same price for a race he won in 2006.

He is primed for another go after two poor runs over fences this season.

Trainer Alan King explained: "He and Elusive Dream have been at it from a long way out.

"He's not been easy and it's his first real run of the season. He'll go for the World Hurdle and maybe back to fences in the autumn."

Elusive Dream may now go to Aintree and was just overtaken for third by Refinement, producing another game effort. The same could not be said for Ashley Brook, who was again pulled up.

Cheltenham is also on the agenda for the David Arbuthnot-trained Oscar Park, who was as flawless as he was at Fakenham a week ago in the totexacta Novices' Chase.

The 4-7 favourite burned off O'Maley with three fences to jump and was eased right down.

"He'll go for the SunAlliance, with the grace of God," said his owner George Ward.

"He's a nice horse, very placid and he keeps learning as he goes along."

Coral and William Hill cut Oscar Park to 14s for the Festival, Ladbrokes and Cashmans are 16-1.

Galient (evens favourite) was second in the Queen's Vase for Michael Jarvis and on his transfer to Nicky Henderson faced a rather lesser task in the totesport Supports The Racehorse Sanctuary Novices' Hurdle.

However, he applied himself nicely to pull a length and three-quarters clear when pressed by Dragon Eye.

"His form went missing as a four-year-old so Michael suggested to the owners he go hurdling," said Henderson.

"He's had a little wind-op and needs to regain his self-belief, so we'll find him another race like this."

Popular veteran Tikram collected a first victory in almost three years and was sent off a well-backed 7-4 to the detriment of the favourite Sporazene in the totesport 0800 221 221 Handicap Chase.

When Sporazene ruined his chance at the tricky downhill fence on the back straight, Tikram never looked back and quickened 23 lengths away under Jamie Moore.

Moore's trainer-father Gary said: "I think he's four from four around here. We had to take Sporazene on and we were only 2lb out of the handicap, which is nothing.

"He's in three races at Cheltenham and we'll probably go there."

The Moore team doubled up with Trigger Guard (7-2) in the West Sussex County Times Handicap Hurdle.

Lou Du Moulin Mas (1-2 favourite) was helped hugely in the Fuller's London Pride Foxhunters Trial when Green Belt Flyer fell at the last when in front.

"Tom Greenall has won on him here and his brother Oliver rode him before, so they'll be scrapping it out for Cheltenham, as he's qualified for the Foxhunters," said trainer Paul Nicholls.

Ashleys Petale (14-1), the mount of Timmy Murphy when the rider was given a lengthy non-triers' ban earlier in the season, got his head in front for Jay Pemberton in the totesportgames.com Maiden Open National Hunt Flat Race.