Cheltenham in sight as Just Cameron gets back on track at Wetherby

So it proved, the popular horse rolling back the years with a sublime round of steeplechasing to record his first victory in nearly two years after returning to a more realistic handicap mark.

Yet, in many respects, the biggest obstacles came before the race. A fractious horse owned by Lottery millionaire Paul Chapman, Just Cameron had to be led around the saddling enclosure by Joe Wright until he was given a signal to lead his charge to the paddock at the last possible moment.

A perfunctory appearance in the paddock to satisfy the BHA rules of racing then saw Brooke mount the horse on the walkway to the paddock, conscious that the slightest distraction could disturb the horse’s temperament.

Yet, on the track, the Middleham rider, 26, had no grounds for concern. After vying for the lead with Colin Tizzard’s Sew On Target, Just Cameron’s accurate jumping enabled the 10-year-old to build a commanding lead so that he was never troubled up the home straight.

Sixth in last season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase, the horse holds an entry in this year’s two-mile championship race at the Cheltenham Festival. Yet the Grand Annual Chase, the concluding handicap at the four-day meeting, could also be an option.

Much will depend on how the handicapper responds tomorrow, Brooke telling The Yorkshire Post that he would “hate” it for his willing partner to be unduly punished for beating a relatively modest field in a low-profile race by a considerable margin.

“He’s one of the best horses in the North, but I hope they don’t kill him. It’s taken two years to get him back to a winning mark,” said Brooke. “He’s class. His jumping was brilliant and he’ll come on for this.”

This view was shared by Middleham trainer Micky Hammond’s assistant Gemma Hogg. “It’s just nice for him to win again,” she said before praising the team effort that ensured Just Cameron, second to Un De Sceaux in the Grade One Guinness Novice Chase at Punchestown in April 2015, kept his cool in the preliminaries.

“When he was a young horse, he could get very agitated. He did nothing wrong when third here in the Castleford Chase after Christmas, he was just beaten by horses with less weight. Micky’s away but I’m sure he’ll talk to the owners about Cheltenham. The important thing is the horse won and Henry gave him a lovely ride.”

The Hammond yard completed a notable double when Mountain Path was a surprising but welcome winner of the concluding Bumper under Joe Colliver.

Prominent throughout, the filly was headed by more fancied runners before regaining the lead close home. Given the stable does not always excel in these type of races, she could well be above average.

There was also a double for the in-form Danny Cook on Harriet Bethell’s El Masivo and Sue Smith’s Special Wells. One of the strongest jockeys in the North, his mounts are invariably very difficult to pass once they hit the front, and runs in the colours of the fun-loving ‘Two Golf Widows’ partnership.

Northern racing, so long the poor relation, received a welcome shot in the arm when One For Arthur jumped into the Grand National picture by claiming the Betfred Classic Chase at Warwick.

A winner at Kelso in October before finishing fifth over the National fences at Aintree in the Becher Chase, the horse is trained in Scotland by Lucinda Russell and her partner Peter Scudamore, the former champion jockey.

It was also the biggest success in the career of jockey Derek Fox since he crossed the Irish Sea to join the Russell stable and fill the void created by last season’s retirement of longstanding stable jockey Peter Buchanan.

Fox had hoped One For Arthur to be more prominent than he was at Aintree, but that plan went out of the window at the second fence when Kaki De La Pree fell heavily.

Yet the 24-year-old bided his time as the fast gallop took its toll on the early pacesetters.

Connections are hopeful that the horse’s rise in the handicap will be sufficient to qualify for the National – and Fox says One For Arthur could head straight to Aintree without a prep race.

“It’s very special to win a big race on a Saturday,” said the County Sligo-born jockey. “It means everything to have a nice horse to ride in these better races. I thought I would be a bit closer to the pace.

“When that didn’t work out, I didn’t panic. He travelled and took me there. He’s very clever and very accurate at his jumps. He would have a good chance in the National if the ground was on the softer side of good, like last year. He has plenty of scope.”

Fox told The Yorkshire Post that he was grateful for the faith shown by Russell and Scudamore – he says “they have given him a lot of confidence” – and the support of agent Bruce Jeffrey in helping him to get his career established in the North. “They’ve all looked after me,” he added.