Carruthers could run next in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on Tuesday, December 27 following his gutsy victory in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday.

The eight-year-old, from Mark Bradstock’s Letcombe Bassett stables, near Wantage, showed he was back to his best by making most of the running to take one of the biggest races in the jumps calendar.

“It was great, magic,” reflected Bradstock. “You need patience in this game. It happened and it was very exciting.”

Bradstock, whose father-in-law Lord Oaksey bred and part-owns Carruthers, added: “We’ll see what happens in the next couple of days, but the horse is very bright and perky and he ate up.

“He came back in the field after the summer just looking a lot better, a lot stronger than he did the year before.

“We’ll certainly think about the Welsh National. I obviously made the entry for him and we’ll have to see how he is.

“There’s the Aon Chase back at Newbury in February. We’ll wait and see what the handicapper does too.”

Carruthers is as short as 7-1 second favourite for the Welsh National with Ladbrokes.

CHIPPING Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon had a rare Flat winner when Wild Desert sprang a 16-1 surprise under Adam Kirby at Wolverhampton yesterday.