Grande Geste leads from the front to claim Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at Haydock

The grey was making only his third start over fences – and seeking his first victory – under Danny McMenamin but jumped well from the front to win by six and a half lengths from My Silver Lining (11-1).

The Parkinson-Smith partnership only came together in 2024, but have enjoyed an excellent start to this campaign having already landed two Saturday staying handicaps with Konfusion’s win in the Rehearsal Chase and O’Connell taking the London National in similarly impressive style to the Haydock scorer.

High Eldwick-based Parkinson told Racing TV: “He’s a lovely horse, we’ve thrown him in here half knowing what we’ve got with a little bit of quiet confidence.

“It’s only his third chase but he’s such a solid jumper so we thought we’d have a go.

“We’ve got the Peter Marsh (back at Haydock), we’ll see what the handicapper does next but it’s exciting, he’s a nice horse.”

McMenamin added: “He jumped like a buck everywhere, it was a good bit of placement from his trainers and it’s worked out well.

“He had no weight on his back (10st 2lb) so I thought I’d get a good start, ideally I didn’t want to make the running but he winged the first and I thought there was no point in taking him back. He’s a scopey horse, a good, big chaser and I’d say there’s plenty more improvement to come from him.”

Grande Geste’s victory rounded off an excellent couple of hours on Merseyside for Yorkshire trainers and horses.

The day had started with Guiseley trainer Sam England’s Haraar (7-1) who defied a morning market drift to win the Betfred Nifty 50 Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle by nearly three lengths from El Jefe (25-1) with rider Tom Midgley taking three pounds off.

England then completed a quick 47-1 double when Saligo Bay (5-1) completed a hat-trick of wins by taking the third race, the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Handicap Hurdle, for jockey Richie McLernon recording a five-and-a-half-length win over 7-2 favourite King Ulanda, with Leyburn handler Jedd O’Keefe’s Ip Up (13-2) third.

Down at Ascot, Mark Walford’s Buzz Iceclear (5-1) kept on well under Jamie Hamilton in the closing stages of the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Handicap Hurdle, but could not catch leading pair Jakar Du Moulin (15-2) and Duel Au Soleil (8-1) with the former prevailing by a head.

The Nicky-Henderson-trained, JP McManus-owned Impose Toi continued his progression with a determined display to win the Howden Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot by a length and a quarter from Strong Leader with Honesty Policy – another McManus horse, third.

Henderson said: “He (De Boinville) knew what he had to do and he’s given him the most perfect ride. We were quite a bit worse off with Strong Leader today.”