SCEAU Royal made a winning start to his new season with a hard-fought two-and-a-quarter-length success in the Grade 2 Shloer Chase at Cheltenham.

Alan King’s six-year-old, racing for the first time since a suspensory injury curtailed his novice season after a win at Doncaster in January, had to dig deep under Daryl Jacob to see off outsider Simply Ned.

Sceau Royal shrugs off a ten-month absence and penalty to land the Shloer Chase @CheltenhamRaces from the valiant Simply Ned. Has the winner got what it takes to emulate Sprinter Sacre, who won the race in 2015 en route to Champion Chase glory? #TheNovemberMeeting pic.twitter.com/rVRJuE1xIh

— Racing UK (@racing_uk) November 18, 2018

Nicky Richards’ front-running 28/1 shot pushed the 5/4 favourite all the way, but after jumping upsides at the second-last and then holding a slender lead at the last, Sceau Royal had a little in hand to hold the rallying runner-up.

Behind them in the six-runner field over two miles, last season’s Arkle Challenge Trophy second Brain Power could never get competitive and in the end had to settle for fourth behind Forest Bihan.