The Joe Tizzard-trained Alexei was the big Wincanton winner with a Kingwell Hurdle victory that booked his ticket for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

But Queens Gamble’s comfortable defeat of odds-on favourite Bluey in the Listed event under Paul O’Brien left Derham delighted – with the Lambourn handler admitting he did not know if the eight-year-old would race again after illness.

“She had a torrid summer, a really bad bout of colic,” Derham said.

“So it means a lot for her to win again because, at one stage during the summer, we were wondering would she even come back into training?

“She travelled beautifully, jumped great, and showed her class. Just to see her get another day in the sun was really special.

“I’m hugely satisfied but I can claim no responsibility for this win at all.

“My travelling head girl Amy (Deans) rides Queens Gamble every day and tells me exactly what she’s going to do.

“When she’s complaining she can’t hold her, I know she’s in good form. She’s almost like a family pet, I’m absolutely chuffed to bits.”

Venetia Williams expressed relief at being back in the number one spot after Charlie Deutsch led 10-1 shot Jeu d’Opale home from the Jeremy Scott-trained Bonza Boy for a BetMGM Handicap Chase triumph.

Suggested that wins came in cycles, Williams, training her first winner for two months, said: “You say cycles, but I think I’ve been riding a penny farthing actually!

“It’s been a long time coming. I’ve kind of forgot what it was like, but we’ve had a few that have been placed and run well.

“I’m so thrilled for the owners because they’ve been very patient with him.

“It’s been a long wait for them, but he’s won quite well. It wasn’t a scramble.”

Like London busses Deutsch and Williams then scored a second success as Camulus (5-2) took the Bet £10 Get £40 With BetMGM Handicap Chase.

Trainer David Pipe and jockey Rian Corcoran landed a double as Eton Mes (5-2) and Royal Mer (3-1 joint-favourite) claimed the BetMGM Premier League Darts Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle and BetMGM Who Wants A Nine-Darter Handicap Chase respectively.

Jack Stenhouse ended with a winner as the Philip Hobbs and Johnson White-trained Call Me Legend fought off Seatoit to take the Gamble Responsibly At BetMGM Novices’ Handicap Hurdle to justify 6-4 favouritism.