McCain said: "He won here on the same sort of ground last year. When he gets things his own way in a low grade race he enjoys himself - he didn't have it that way at Hexham last time."

Peters Star has provided Benson with his two successes since returning to action after a three-and-a-half-month absence having broken an arm at Uttoxeter in May, which was only a short time after he came back from breaking the same arm in a fall at Kelso in October.

Kudu Country put up a dour performance to open his jumping account at the first attempt under Keith Mercer in the bet365 Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.

The 9-4 favourite went to the front approaching the fourth flight and was never headed from then on, keeping up the gallop to see off the challenge of the Tony McCoy-ridden Riptide by five lengths to deny McCain a quick double.

Winning trainer Tom Tate said: "We will take it steady with him, but he is a robust horse and has always been a nice horse really.

"We started with five to go jumping but we are down to three."