TRAINER Fergal O’Brien, who has made his best start to a season, won the Grade 3 BetVictor.com Handicap Chase with Perfect Candidate, who showed tremendous determination to hold Nicholls’ Scottish Grand National winner Vicente by a neck.

Perfect Candidate, 7/1, ran a similarly game race in this two years ago, when only fifth, but on this occasion he hit the front soon after three out and keeping on willingly for Paddy Brennan . His late surge could not quite carry him home.