Cloudy Too bounced back from defeat in the Hennessy Gold Cup to take the William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby.

Bingley trainer Sue Smith’s second-season chaser had run well for a long way before finishing unplaced in the Newbury feature, having won at Carlisle.

The well-backed 11-4 shot was kicked into the lead by 5lb claimer Jonathan England before the fourth-last, after Sydney Paget had made the running accompanied for the most part by Junior.

Cloudy Too soon put daylight between himself and his rivals and the only anxious moment came when he nearly ran out approaching the final fence.

However, England soon got Cloudy Too on an even keel and he went on to score by ten lengths from Tullamore Dew with last year’s winner Cape Tribulation, trained at Norton by Malcolm Jefferson, a further two and three-quarter lengths away in third.

Sydney Paget, the 5-2 favourite, was eventually pulled up after his chance had gone.

Grand National hero Auroras Encore, a stablemate of the winner, ran an encouraging race on his reappearance despite being last of the five finishers.