Ex-Cheltenham Festival regular sparked back to form to end 50-month winless run for new trainer Sarah Humphrey

A vintage season for Sarah Humphrey was given another highlight as she successfully brought former Cheltenham Festival regular Eclair De Beaufeu back to form to end a 50-month drought.

The ten-year-old had finished second in a Grand Annual and fourth in the County when based in Ireland, but was picked up by the Cambridgeshire trainer for just 5,000gns after a string of disappointing efforts through the summer.

After a 196-day break and plenty of patience, the trainer was able to scoop a bigger prize than his value as he fended off even-money favourite Up For Parol by a length to land the 2m4f seniors' handicap hurdle under James Best.

Humphrey said: "When we bought him he was in poor condition, so we turned him out in the field until after Christmas. We got him back into work and he's just flourished. He needed that bit of TLC and the ground was right for him there.

"I kept thinking when we worked him something was wrong because from what we were seeing he should've been a much better horse. I'm delighted by that."

Humphrey, who was training her 11th winner of the season, enjoyed a Grade 1 breakthrough in February when Nickle Back won the Scilly Isles at Sandown and hopes to double up at Aintree next week.

"Nickle Back is in fine form," she added. "We're aiming, as long as the ground isn't too soft, for the Manifesto [Novices' Chase], which is the first race over two and a half miles. He's very good and everything's going according to plan at the moment."

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