BEN STRIKES AT LAST FOR LONGSDON

RED RUM HANDICAP CHASE

BENTELIMAR made up for some near-misses to land the Red Rum.

The nine-year-old, who has made the frame on three of his five outings since joining Charlie Longsdon from Ireland, responded to first-time cheekpieces to beat Theinval, runner-up for the second time in a row, by three and a quarter lengths.

“We’ve been thinking he’s seriously well handicapped for a big race for some time,” Longsdon (above) said of the Johnny Burke-partnered victor.

“Since he came over from Ireland, he’s been placed, placed, placed. It went all right in the end.”