Royale Pagaille wins Betfair Chase for the second consecutive year after thrilling battle with Grey Dawning at Haydock

Rich Ricci has amassed a personal fortune of more than £100million through a career in the city but, in Haydock Park’ sodden winners’ enclosure, he found something priceless.

His gallant horse Royal Pagaille had just shown remarkable courage and tenacity to win the Betfair Chase for the second consecutive year; the gelding, now 10 years old, had been trained to perfection by Venetia Williams and faultlessly ridden from the front by Charlie Deutsch.

Here was a significant moment for the owner, his 100th triumph at Grade One level. His distinct pink-and-green silks have been carried by some giants, Annie Power and Faugheen chief among them, but in the aftermath of this blockbuster Ricci unusually animated, fizzing with euphoria.

‘Oh I loved that!’ Ricci exclaimed. ‘You can make as much money as you want but you can’t buy thrills, happiness, emotion. This is what this sport brings. We’ve had it all – good days, bad days. We’ve had horrible days. But these are the ones you live for, aren’t they? That’s why I’m in the game.’

And what a game. It takes two horses to make a race and this one, all three miles of it, raised the hairs on the back of your neck.

They appreciate the National Hunt horses that leave everything on the line in these parts and the sold-out County Stand shook with sound as Royal Pagaille and Grey Dawning put their heads down.

Owner Rich Ricci was left delighted after his 100th triumph at Grade One level

Royal Pagaille had jumped with elan and the tempo Deutsch set took most of the field out of their comfort zone – all bar Grey Dawning, who moved menacingly ahead after the second-last and looked sure to justify 15/8 favouritism.

But with incessant rain turning the ground gruelling, Grey Dawning faltered slightly and Royal Pagaille put his head down, relentlessly galloping through the final 100 yards to become the fifth multiple winner of this race since its inception 20 years ago.

‘You always want that head-to-head, that kind of fantastic finish,’ Ricci gasped. ‘That is what makes the sport so great. This fella just tries – he tries so hard. He’s won at Haydock for the fifth time, I mean it’s just amazing. Crikey, I can’t believe he came back and won!’

Skelton, privately, must have been thinking the same thing. Grey Dawning was trying to advertise his credentials for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next March and his reputation was not damaged following this set-to with an old slugger.

‘I’m just gutted,’ said the man who leads the trainers’ championship. ‘But I’m also delighted because he jumped superb. The winner is a hard horse to pass and I take my hat off to him. It looked like we had him beat but he found a little bit more.’

Williams, the winning trainer, had three winners on the day – Fontaine Collognes at Haydock and Martator at Ascot completed the treble – but there was only one horse on her mind. Royal Pagaille has a place in her heart and her smile said everything.

‘I knew in the summer there was a possibility Rich could get his 100th winner here,’ she said. ‘But to do it like this was unbelievable. He was beaten, wasn’t he?’