Chipping Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon admitted to being confounded by Gran-dads Horse’s recent winning run after the gelding’s heartstopping victory at Doncaster on Saturday.

The eight-year-old, who had previously shown all his best form on good ground in the summer, has suddenly struck form with a vengeance on an easy surface in the depths of winter.

Grandads Horse looked set to follow up his Ascot win with a comfortable success in the bet365.com Handicap Chase over three miles after jumping the last fence four lengths clear of his rivals.

But the long run-in started to take its toll on the 9-4 favourite, and Daryl Jacob’s mount only just held off Night In Milan by a head in a desperate finish.

It was Grandads Horse’s 12th career win, and Longsdon commented: “For a summer horse who is not supposed to like the soft ground it seems slightly strange that he has suddenly run his best two races on soft going.

“As Harvey Smith said to me, he has learnt to cope with it the older he has got.”

And he added: "We've been dropping him in and that suits him.

“He got there too soon, but was going so well and then he idled in front.”

Longsdon added that a return to Doncaster for the Skybet Chase on Saturday, January 24 could now be on the cards.

The master of Hull Farm Stables was on the mark the previous day with Wilber-dragon at Bangor-on-Dee.

The four-year-old, the winner of an Ascot bumper earlier this season, opened his account over timber by taking a novices’ hurdle by a comfortable five lengths from Grande Antartique under Noel Fehily.

Longsdon now plans to give Wilberdragon a break until the spring when he expects him to show improvement for tackling better ground.