Chipping Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon landed a big-race success with Kalane in the EBF & TBA Mares’ “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle Finale at Newbury on Saturday.

The six-year-old didn’t have the easiest of passages in the Listed handicap over two miles and five furlongs.

But Noel Fehily managed to weave his way through on the 10-1 chance, before forging clear after the last to beat Hannah’s Princess by three and a quarter lengths.

Longsdon said: “It’s good to get televised Channel 4 Saturday winners at a Grade 1 track like Newbury.

“She is a good mare, so it helps.”

Latest Sport news

He added that Kalane had overcome several problems. “It has been a serious team effort from our end,” he said.

“She got a leg (injury) in France before she came to us and Paul (Murphy, breeder) told me we would never get her to the racecourse.

“We did and she won first time out, and Noel said then she is a seriously nice mare, go for the mares’ final.

“Then she was lame behind for three months, and we have just been training her with kid gloves.

“We knew she was a nice mare and she was off a potentially nice mark.”

Longsdon completed an across-the-card double when Shantou Magic justified 4-9 favouritism by taking a Bangor novices’ chase under Will Kennedy.