Yala Enki retains Portman Cup Chase at Taunton

Bryony Frost jumped the popular 11-year-old out in front for the three and a half mile contest but the pair had to work hard to stay there.

Eventual second If The Cap Fits ran a peculiar race at Kempton last time with his fencing coming under close scrutiny but he was much better at the Somerset venue.

Indeed, he was handed the lead by a bad mistake by Yala Enki towards the end of the back straight, with Frost doing well to keep the partnership intact, and held the advantage into the home straight.

He produced the better jump of the pair at the first in the straight but Yala Enki is nothing if not tough and was back on terms approaching the second last.

If The Cap Fits' stamina started to ebb from that point on and the leader was clear approaching the last, Yala Enki jumped that obstacle cleanly and was kept up to his work to follow up last year's success in this contest.

Frost told Racing TV: "That (the mistake) was quite an 'oh crikey' moment. I kept meeting the first down the back on a very short stride but I did meet the ditch on a good one so I asked him for it again and he was very honest to come to me but he wasn't quite sure and ended up half banking it and it was a moment when I just thought 'I'm off the back door' but luckily we had our neck straps well at hand and the partnership remained intact but then that put us on the back burner and he did well to battle back for me and actually he was going away again at the line, his stamina is phenomenal.

"He's boisterous and doesn't have much patience to him. You can't have an opinion on him, just let him come to his fences as he is. When I do try and ask him those sorts of moments happen so I need to learn to stay a bit more still!"