TWENTY years on from the victory of Best Mate in the 2002 King George VI Chase, Bravemansgame became the first point-to-point graduate since that triple Gold Cup winner to triumph in the prestigious Grade 1 event when landing the 2022 edition of the Kempton feature.

For Paul Nicholls it was the vindication of a long and publicly declared belief in the Brave Masonnien gelding that stretched back to his initial Grade 1 success in the 2020 Challow Hurdle.