Houblon Des Obeaux made every yard to win the Rising Stars Novices' Chase at Wincanton

Houblon Des Obeaux: Made it two out of two over fences at Wincanton

Houblon Des Obeaux (9-1) continued Venetia Williams' good start to the season in the totepool Rising Stars Novices' Chase at Wincanton.

The five year old wasn't among the market leaders for the Grade Two contest despite scoring on his chase debut at Worcester last month but successfully gave weight and a beating to his seven rivals.

Always to the fore under Aidan Coleman, the pair injected some pace into the race approaching the final turn and more or less maintained the advantage that move opened up to the line.

The winning distance was four and a half lengths with the favourite Poungach only able to finish second on his attempt to provide Paul Nicholls with a fifth winner in the race since 2006.

Poungach had fallen at Chepstow on his chase bow last month and wasn't fluent at a number of his obstacles but he did rally after the last to snatch an unlikely looking berth in the runner-up's spot.

Court In Motion was back in third on his first start for 582 days and Emma Lavelle will have been delighted with the way the seven year old shaped although he did make one notable mistake.

Aegean Dawn was also expected to run a big race on his return from a lengthy absence but he got no further than the second on his debut for rookie handler Robert Walford.

Coleman said: "That was super. We were a bit worried that there wasn't going to be a lot of pace and he wants further, so I had to pop out and make it. He jumped for fun and will do even better over a longer trip. If he carries on along this path he could be an RSA Chase type."