Sam Twiston-Davies at the double as Watergrange Jack completes hat-trick with brave performance

It was a hard-fought success but Watergrange Jack justified strong market support to complete a hat-trick in the 2m3f handicap hurdle.

The seven-year-old was sent off the 5-6 favourite under Sam Twiston-Davies and came out on top of a protracted battle with the early front-runner Icare Grandchamp. 

Twiston-Davies had to call upon all his strength in the closing stages as his mount tired up the hill, but the pair prevailed by a length and a half.

"It was a brave performance," Twiston-Davies said to Sky Sports Racing. "He ran away with me at Uttoxeter a couple of starts back, so I always knew it was going to be very tactical. I wanted to get him switched off early but you don't want to leave Jamie Moore in front for too long as he's a very good judge of pace.

"I thought when we got to the top of the hill that it's almost a free bit of energy to use when you can roll down there and be aggressive out of the bend, and thankfully it's worked. I had to go when I did because he only got up late over a longer trip here last time. 

"It's a long way to be racing but he's a brave horse and thankfully he's got plenty of guts about him too."

The victory marked a double for the rider from his only two rides. He partnered the admirable 11-year-old Organdi to success in the 3m2f handicap chase, with the Richard Phillips-trained mare registering her sixth success.

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