Devon jockey Bryony Frost galloped to victory on Frodon in the 61st Badger Beer Chase at Wincanton.
Frost and Frodon, who was winning for the 19th time, didn't have it all their own way, but they gradually took control and then jumped their rivals into submission, winning by three lengths from the Neil Mulholland-trained Lord Accord at odds of 9/4.
"It was an amazing performance - he's a legend of a horse," said Frodon's trainer Paul Nicholls.
Frodon, who carried top weight of 12 stone, had been off the course for 235 days and had not won since lifting the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal 12 months ago.
Nicholls switched the ten-year-old gelding from a defence of that victory in Ulster, because of the soft ground there, but Frodon coped perfectly with the firmer conditions in Somerset.
"It was greasy, and it took all of his intelligence to help me," said Frost.
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