Henrietta Knight rolled back the years as Somersby finally gained a deserved big-race victory in the 25th Anniversary of the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot on Saturday.

The eight-year-old gelding, beaten a short head by Master Minded in this race last year, went one better for Knight’s West Lockinge stables, near Wantage, to join an illustrious roll of honour, which includes the legendary Desert Orchid.

Jumping the last half a length down, Dominic Elsworth’s mount dug deep to surge clear of Finian’s Rainbow and capture the £59,083 first prize by a length and a quarter.

The 9-2 shot returned to a warm reception with Knight back in the winner’s enclosure after a Grade 1 race for the first time since Best Mate won his third Cheltenham Gold Cup in March 2004.

And the magical moment was even more special for the trainer as she was accompanied by her husband, Terry Biddlecombe, who is continuing to recover after suffering a stroke in October.

“It’s a wonderful feeling,” said Knight. “And I have got Terry with me here today too.

“I bet he is crying his eyes out, I expect.”

Biddlecombe, meanwhile, was overcome in another way by Somersby’s success.

“I thought we would win going to the last, but I got so excited I had a nosebleed,” he said.

Knight added of her stable star: “He has been the bridesmaid so many times and I worried about putting him back to two miles and a furlong, buthe ran a good race here last year, loves this course and I thought it was worth another try.”

Knight plans to give Somersby a break before the Cheltenham Festival where he is entered in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase, with the latter – for which he is the 6-1 joint favourite – her prefered target.