HEREFORDSHIRE trainer celebrated a Cheltenham win on Friday on the opening day of the Christmas Meeting at the famous racecourse. 

Cepage (11-2) won the Unibet Middle Distance Chase Series Veterans' Handicap Chase for Venetia Williams, whose stables are based in Aramstone, Hereford

Cepage powered past Le Ligerien before clearing away to prevail by seven lengths under Charlie Deutsch and build on his comeback fourth at Warwick.

Restricted to just one start in each of the two previous seasons, the admirable 11-year-old showed he still has plenty of life in him yet.

"He is still rattling around here at a rate of knots," said Williams. "All credit to the owners for giving him the time come back from various injuries.

"It has taken me this long to put the cheekpieces on him, but I was keen to reserve them for a decent race.

"He is a quirky horse. Jess, who is leading him up, and is my assistant, rides him all the time. Even at the age he is now, which is 11 going on 12, he has to be legged up in the barn, otherwise he might bolt. He is still daft as a brush!"

"The original plan a month ago had been to bring his partner in crime Ibleo here, but circumstances over the weekend flip flopped as to who was going to run here. 

"There isn’t another one of these races until the middle of next month so he might come back here on New Year’s Day."