'He jumped for fun' - If Not For Dylan causes Highland National shock for Scottish permit holder Hamilton

Andrew Hamilton ended the season with another valuable staying chase success when If Not For Dylan landed an emotional victory for the three-horse permit holder and owner in the Highland National.

The 22-1 outsider bravely held on to win by a length under Alan Doyle, having made most of the running, to give the South Lanarkshire-based handler a seventh win during a career-best campaign, which also came in front of the ITV4 cameras.

Hamilton said: "We're delighted. The plan was to hold him as we weren't sure if he was going to stay, but he jumped the first fence so keen that Alan let him travel away. He jumped for fun.

"I'll only have two or three horses in at one time and my phone hasn't stopped ringing afterwards so I've definitely made some new friends too."

Hamilton won the Durham National and The Last Fling Chase this season with All About Joe, but was rocked by his death following an accident at the yard earlier this year.

"We took it really badly, he was like the family pet," he added. "The kids would always go out and clap him back in from races. To get another win like this was super after what happened."

Worthwhile trip

The 16-hour round trip from Nigel Hawke's Devon yard paid off for Inferno Sacree, who made it four wins from his last five starts in the opening 2m handicap hurdle.

Return win

A year on from notching his first career winner at the meeting, Patrick Wadge was successful on the card again when guiding Readysteadybeau to win the 3m novice handicap chase.

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